Immigration to Manitoba through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is boosting the number of students in schools of participating communities. For instance, Altona/Rhineland in southeastern Manitoba, which the Garden Valley School Division partly serves, is experiencing a surge in student population due to its participation in the RNIP. According to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), immigration to Manitoba increased by 30.7% in 2022, with 21,660 new permanent residents arriving last year, compared to 16,575 in 2021. RNIP saw a significant increase from 50 to 150 new permanent residents in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In the first quarter of 2023, 45 new permanent residents were welcomed, with a projected 180 newcomers for the rest of the year. Last year, the province welcomed 1,640 new permanent residents through the Temporary-to-Permanent Resident Pathway (TR2PR), a 51.8% increase from the previous year. Additionally, Manitoba received 1,790 refugees in 2022, more than doubled in 2021.
