Policies Research Internship Insights Series

Alberta’s Rural Renewal Stream was developed to support rural immigration by helping communities recruit skilled newcomers to addresslabourshortages and stimulate local economic growth. While the program has improved recruitment opportunities, it gives limited attention to the social conditions that influence whether immigrantsremainin rural communities over the long term. Racism, social exclusion, inadequate settlement infrastructure, and limited access to ethnocultural and religious supports continue to weaken newcomers’ sense of belonging and contribute tooutmigration towardurbancentres.