Halifax Regional Municipality’s new economic growth strategy is gunning for a 100,000-person population increase in the next five years, as the city looks to solve the skilled labour crunch that has left local startups scrambling for employees.
The 73-step economic plan — dubbed People. Planet. Prosperity. Halifax’s Inclusive Economic Strategy 2022-2027 — includes three main strategic targets: increasing GDP to $25 billion; growing the population to 525,000 people and the labour force to 310,000; and increasing residents’ overall wellbeing.
As of January, Halifax’s labour force numbered