Immigrants add millions to Moncton economy, council says
New Brunswick's Multicultural Council says immigrant families contribute millions in taxes
New Brunswick's Multicultural Council says 1,000 immigrant families can contribute up to $20 million in local, provincial and federal taxes.
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Mike Timani, the multicultural council's chair, said the average size immigrant family puts back even more money into the provincial economy.
"[Immigrant families] generate over $65 million in household expenditures, and $3.2 million in recreation spending," said Timani.
"So how can you beat that?"
Moncton announced a plan to welcome 1,000 immigrants to the southeastern city each year by 2017, up from the 750 newcomers that come now. The city has hired its first immigration strategy officer to help meet the new objectives.
"They create other jobs," said Timani.
"I'm myself an immigrant, right now I have 60 employees working for me, so just imagine how much I'm contributing to the community and the economy."
Timani immigrated to Toronto from Lebanon in the 1980s and started working as a hotel busboy.
He eventually moved to Moncton, where he started a handmade pita bread business that is now Fancy Pokket, a successful multi-million-dollar enterprise.
Timani said he's thankful for the opportunities he was given, and wants to help other newcomers succeed.
People are nice here, they welcome the immigrants. So that's why more and more immigrants are coming here.- Ganesh Kommisetti
He is a board member and past president of the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area and has volunteered for the Business Immigrant Mentorship Program run by 3+ Greater Moncton Economic Development.
Ganesh Kommisetti took the 12-week training program with 3+ and opened Spice Shop, a grocery store specializing in ethnic foods in Dieppe. Since opening last August, he said his business has expanded quickly.
"We started with two countries, the Philippines and India. Later we added Bangladesh, Pakistan, Korea and Mexico now," said Kommisetti.
The software engineer who moved to Moncton from Hyderabad, India 10 years ago, had limited knowledge about running a store until he took the mentorship program.
"Basically they hold your hand and walk you all the way," said Kommisetti.
"How to get the loan, how you have to look ... what is the best bank. That's really very important information for somebody who doesn't know," he said.
Kommisetti said his success has a lot to do with the help he got from the economic development agency, and he said through his shop he can now contribute back to the economy.
"People are nice here, they welcome the immigrants. So that's why more and more immigrants are coming here. This is a nice place, that's why we want to stick here and grow," he said.