Data from Memorial University’s immigration research chairs shows that only about half of newcomers stay in Newfoundland and Labrador five years after arriving, making retention a bigger challenge than meeting immigration targets. The Tombolo Multicultural Festival, held at the St. John’s farmers market, works to address that gap by giving vendors, performers and newcomer business owners a space to build community connections.
Executive director Dr. Zainab Jerrett and vendors including Effe of Teens and Tricks and Satoko Aoki of JoyLight Jewelry, along with her daughter Saya, talk about how these shared spaces support cultural exchange and help newcomers put down roots in the province.
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