Rural communities around Alberta could get a boost of around 40,000 newcomers by 2024 under policies being proposed by the province’s United Conservative Party.

Jason Kenney, leader of the United Conservative Party, said this week that Alberta needs to “use the power” of immigration to revitalize the province’s smaller, rural communities and the UCP would seek to do so through an immigration strategy centred around two key components: the Rural Renewal Program and the Rural Entrepreneurial Stream.

Combined, both pathways could channel as many as 10,000 new permanent residents to the province’s rural communities each year.

“The goal will be to end large backlogs, speed up processing times, proactively attract talented newcomers from overseas, welcome job-creating entrepreneurs and encourage settlement in rural Alberta, which needs population the most,” Kenney told reporters.

The Rural Renewal Program would operate through the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program and prioritize economic immigration candidates who express an interest in settling in Alberta’s smaller rural communities.

Kenney said the program could bring in an estimated 32,000 new permanent residence over four years, which includes principal applicants and their accompanying spouses and dependent children.

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