On November 17th, Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement:
“As Ontario’s current immigration agreement with Ottawa expires on November 24, we call on the federal and provincial government to achieve a new deal that can realistically support the economic growth and the social fabric of our province.
“Provincial governments are uniquely positioned to best understand their respective labour market needs. As such, we continue to call for the province’s economic immigrant allocation through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program to be doubled. We would also like to see expanded work permit and post-graduate work permit eligibility so that we can retain more international health-care workers and tradespeople; a long-term commitment to newcomer training; and urgent action to reduce the immigration backlog, particularly for incoming and graduating international students, entrepreneurs and workers looking to make Ontario their home.
“While boosting immigration alone is not a silver bullet solution to our labour shortages, it is a critical part of the equation that must be addressed along with workforce development strategies and critical infrastructure, such as housing. Newcomers bring diversity thought and innovation that is critical to Ontario’s competitive advantage. We encourage the two level of governments to reach an agreement that will support the province’s prosperity and growth for years to come.”
