The Town of Claresholm is part of a very short list of communities across the country selected for a new federal government pilot project.
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen says of the 11 communities the federal government is choosing for the rural immigration program, one happens to be right here in southern Alberta. All the communities will gain new workers and citizens that are badly needed to boost dwindling economies.
Hussen announcing Friday (June 14) this will give rural employers the ability to directly select immigrants to hire and will also give immigrants the ability to choose one of these 11 places to make their permanent home.
The selected communities include Claresholm, which happens to be the only Alberta community on the list.
Other cities and towns are in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan ,and B.C.
The participating communities were selected as a representative sample of the regions across Canada to assist in laying out the blueprint for the rest of the country.