New Brunswick is home to a new centre aimed at increasing francophone immigration into Canada.

The new Centre for Innovation in Francophone Immigration officially opened its doors in Dieppe last week.

According to government officials, the centre will help make immigration programs more accessible in order to increase the number of French-speaking candidates selected.

It will also help support international promotion efforts to attract and recruit French-speaking candidates in our labour market.

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Dieppe is the perfect place to host this new centre of national scope.

“In recent years, southeastern New Brunswick has become greatly diversified and demonstrates to what extent immigration is a key component of a region’s economic success,” LeBlanc said in a news release.

Since 2018, New Brunswick has become the second most popular destination chosen by French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec, according to figures provided by the federal government.

Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said the new centre will support the efforts needed to ensure the stability and demographic growth of Francophone communities across the country.

“The modernization of the Official Languages Act, introduced by our government last March, proposes to adopt a Francophone immigration policy with specific goals, targets and indicators that will ensure the sustainability of our beautiful French language. The new centre will help turn that vision into action,” she said in the release.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said it will work closely with Francophone communities and with organizations that are responsible for selecting immigration candidates.

The department said it plans to partner with regional economic development agencies to ensure to a good match between labour needs and immigration.