Labour shortages continue to be felt across Northern Ontario where population growth is limited and unemployment rates are significantly lower than the provincial average. In the last five years, the federal Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot brought over 4,000 newcomers to Northern Ontario, however Ontario’s provincial program brought less than 800 people to our communities.
As Executive Director of the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, I call on you to commit to supporting a set aside within the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program of 3,000 spots annually for Northern Ontario. Our communities have jobs that are going unfilled. We can respond more quickly to increased service and housing demands than bigger cities in the south. We can help Ontario ease the housing crisis and grow the provincial economy.
This change involves no new program spending. The staff are there, in place, working right now to process applications for the GTA. All we ask is that they spend their time working on behalf of the communities in the province that need their help more than the GTA does. In 2023 over 200,000 people came to Ontario. Almost all of them settled in and around the GTA.
The federal government has taken clear, meaningful steps to break this big city monopoly on newcomers. Their efforts are paying off. We are asking the province to get on board and spread the positive impact of newcomers into rural and northern regions as well. We are ready and able to welcome these newcomers. To help them live, work, and raise a family successfully as our neighbours and to ease the burden on our municipal colleagues to the south. A true win-win-win.
Heather Johnson
Executive Director
Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce
