The Pathways to Belonging, launched in September 2025 is the Regional Immigration Strategy. The strategy emphasizes a collaborative approach, urging governments, businesses, non-profits, and citizens to work together to build a welcoming, inclusive, and economically resilient community. It builds upon the City of Saint John's 2022 'Succeed and Stay' strategy, expanding its scope to encompass the broader region.
The strategy focuses on three strategic pillars:
- Welcoming & Inclusive Communities: Strengthening cultural and linguistic connections to promote mutual understanding.
- Economic & Educational Opportunities: Aligning newcomer skills with industry needs and promoting small and medium-sized enterprise hiring.
- Coordinated Support & Advocacy: Creating a centralized data portal, fostering collaboration, and addressing systemic racism.
Expected outcomes include a robust immigration ecosystem, shared open data for coordinated action, increased newcomer hiring and industry collaboration, greater cultural and linguistic cohesion, and a reduction in systemic racism.
Implementation will continue through 2030 under SJLIP's leadership, with regular community reporting. Success will be measured through shared targets, performance indicators, and ongoing accountability.