The president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) says Northern Ontario’s labour shortage cannot be addressed with the same policies being applied in southern Ontario.
In an interview with Kenora Miner & News, Rick Dumas said the province should continue discussions with northern leaders after opting out of a federal initiative to expand access to temporary foreign workers for rural employers.
While Dumas said he understands the province’s concern over youth unemployment in southern Ontario, he believes the labour market in the North presents a very different reality.
“We provided the minister with numbers and said, ‘Listen, Northwestern Ontario, our youth are not coming out. We don’t have the youth to provide the service sector jobs,’” Dumas told the Miner.
Ontario recently announced it will not participate in the federal expansion of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, saying its priority is connecting unemployed Ontarians, particularly young people, with available jobs.
Dumas said NOMA raised the issue with Labour Minister David Piccini during the association’s conference in Thunder Bay earlier this year, alongside representatives from Confederation College and the Northern Policy Institute (NPI), the latter of which has also argued that more temporary foreign workers are needed in and around Kenora.
“I know the minister recognizes there is significant youth unemployment in urban and southern parts of the province, and we appreciate and agree with that concern,” Dumas said.
However, he said the same conditions do not exist across Northwestern Ontario.
“I can sincerely speak for the 37 municipalities that I represent that we have very big difficulties filling those positions in the service sector, and in the entry-level trades… healthcare,” he said. “We’re finding a real shortage of individuals.”
According to Dumas, many newcomers settle in larger urban centres, leaving northern employers struggling to recruit workers.
“They’re coming and landing in our bigger urban centres in southern and eastern and western Ontario, but they’re not coming to Northern Ontario,” he said.
The shortage extends beyond restaurants and retail, he said. According to Dumas, employers are also looking for mechanics, welders, plumbers, carpenters, nurses, personal support workers and other skilled tradespeople.
Dumas said the labour shortage comes at a time when major economic projects, including mining developments, are creating additional demand for workers.
“One hundred percent,” he said when asked whether labour shortages remain one of the biggest barriers to economic growth in Northwestern Ontario. He pointed to projects such as Greenstone Gold and a proposed copper-platinum-palladium mine near Marathon as examples of developments that will require a larger workforce.
Rather than criticizing the province’s decision outright, Dumas said NOMA is asking the government to recognize that Northern Ontario requires a different approach.
“When we said to the minister, ‘Listen, let’s look at not a one-size-fits-all, let’s continue to have dialogue,’” he said.
NOMA has since written to the province requesting continued discussions involving the association, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, the NPI and other organizations familiar with the region’s workforce challenges.
“We need to work with the feds and the province and recognize Northern Ontario is a distinct area, that we are rural or remote in most cases,” Dumas said.
He added that research, findings and opinions presented by the NPI supports NOMA’s position that youth unemployment in southern Ontario does not reflect labour market conditions in the North.
“There is maybe a higher volume of unemployed youth in southern Ontario, but in Northern Ontario, that’s not the case,” Dumas said.
Dumas said NOMA will continue working with provincial and federal officials to find solutions that reflect Northern Ontario’s unique workforce needs.
“We’ll continue to pursue the federal and provincial discussions and be the conduit to try to make things work and understand the differences in our part of the world.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Kenora Miner & News newsroom was contacted by the office of Minister David Piccini following the publication of this article, asking to incorporate the following statement on his behalf:
“We are putting Ontario workers first, making sure they have the opportunity to get their start and build their futures here in Ontario,” Piccini said.
“The answer to filling in demand jobs is not expanding access to low-wage temporary foreign workers — it is ensuring Ontario workers have the skills, experience and opportunities they need to succeed.
“For many young people, jobs in sectors like food service and retail provide that critical first step into the workforce, helping them gain valuable experience, build confidence and begin rewarding careers. Our government will continue to invest in training, apprenticeships and pathways that connect Ontario workers with good-paying jobs while helping employers build the workforce they need for the future.”
