In the high stakes world of heart surgery, precision matters.
And for Dr. Saurabh Gupta of Saint John, N.B., every stitch, every second and every heartbeat counts.
“When the OR lights turn on and all the other lights dim, it’s a very surreal experience and it’s very hard to explain that it’s just you and whatever the problem is in front of you,” he said.
Gupta’s story doesn’t start in the operating room; it starts thousands of miles away in Delhi, India, where a 12-year-old boy packed up his life with his parents and moved to Canada.
He says his parents, who worked as an engineer and a homemaker, chose Canada because they wanted to offer him opportunities and a better quality of life.
He’s now a cardiovascular surgeon at the New Brunswick Heart Centre and credits his family’s tough decision and journey for where he is today.
Gupta believes every new Canadian’s story is unique and important — and encourages others to find out more.
“What I wish people knew about immigrants is the why, the curiosity. Why did you move? Why did you uproot your life to come to Canada?” he said.
“When you travel and are received kindly because you’re Canadian. I think it’s a very unique balance that not a lot of other countries or nationalities get to experience. So, I think being Canadian, to me, means I can be who I want to be.”
Growth through immigration
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The City of Saint John is on track to welcome 22,500 new immigrants by 2030 and the city is expecting newcomers to fuel key sectors, including health care, construction, technology, and business development.
The province of New Brunswick as a whole is set to increase its immigration quota to over 4,200 permanent residents this year, after negotiating with Ottawa over the allocation numbers. That’s an increase of 1,500 from the figure announced in February.
As part of that announcement, the provincial government said it will hone in on priority sectors — like health, education and construction. It will also accept 400 asylum claimants over the next two years.
Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon said the city is ready and prepared for this growth — and needs it.
“Historically, Saint John has seen their youth go away to university but then not return. So, with immigration we see the young families coming,” she said.
“We know and understand that 80 per cent of our growth, at least in Saint John and probably … New Brunswick, will come through immigration.”
In 2023, Saint John welcomed permanent residents from 41 countries, with India, Nigeria and the Philippines as the top sources.
But adapting isn’t always easy. Language barriers, job recognition, and cultural shifts are just a few of the challenges people face when they come to Canada.
The Saint John Newcomers’ Centre emphasizes community engagement while helping new Canadians transition to living in Saint John.
“When you meet a newcomer, when you meet somebody you don’t know, be welcoming, be friendly. We are known for this in this part of the world,” said the centre’s managing director, Mohamed Bagha.
“Whether it’s either getting a job, getting an apartment (…) do not look at them differently than anybody else.”
According to the latest Canadian census in 2021, about eight per cent of Saint John residents are new Canadians. Bagha said they also account for 10 per cent of new business registrations with the the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce, which is a dramatic rise in just a few years.
“People move for opportunity and if we can connect their talent to the right opportunity, this would be a win-win situation for everybody,” he said.
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