Supporting economic growth in Northern Ontario by addressing exclusions in program eligibility for PGWP and focusing on rural labour needs

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Miller to express our urgent concerns regarding the recent reforms to the Post-Grad Work Permit (PGWP) program, which poses a significant threat to our economy and the vitality of our workforce.
 

Supporting economic growth in Northern Ontario by addressing exclusions in program eligibility for PGWP and focusing on rural labour needs

Oct 25, 2024 | Federal Advocacy, News

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Miller to express our urgent concerns regarding the recent reforms to the Post-Grad Work Permit (PGWP) program, which poses a significant threat to our economy and the vitality of our workforce.

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission are united in our efforts to enhance the local economic environment. We are writing you to express our urgent concerns regarding the recent reforms to the Post-Grad Work Permit (PGWP) program, which poses a significant threat to our economy and the vitality of our workforce. These drastic changes to the PGWP program threaten the ability of our businesses to fill critical labour gaps and jeopardize the integrity of the strategic talent pipeline that Confederation College has cultivated. If not addressed promptly, these reforms will have severe repercussions for our regional economic prosperity.

Confederation College offers programs that are intricately aligned with the needs of employers across Northwestern Ontario. The exclusion of vital fields such as engineering (civil, mechanical, aerospace, electrical, electronics and instrumentation), dental hygiene and dental assistant, developmental services workers, early childhood education, culinary management and all business programs (including accounting, human resources and marketing) will drastically limit the educational opportunities for international students. This, in turn, will exacerbate the already critical skills shortages facing our local workforce.

Moreover, it is essential to recognize that Northern Ontario is uniquely positioned to embrace population growth in a way that other major urban centers may find challenging. Unlike communities such as the Greater Toronto Area and Vancouver, which grapple with intense pressures on housing and infrastructure, our region offers a welcoming environment with the capacity to accommodate new residents without straining our existing resources.

We strongly recommend that immigration efforts focus on rural and remote areas like ours, rather than concentrating on major urban centers across Canada. By directing new immigrants to regions like Northern Ontario, we can revitalize our rural and remote economies, fill critical labor gaps, and ensure a vibrant future for our communities, ultimately contributing to Canada’s overall strength and growth.

In light of these concerns, we strongly urge the federal government to delay the implementation of PGWP reforms as these changes will have profound negative impacts on Northwestern Ontario. Delaying implementation beyond November 1st will provide an essential opportunity for meaningful engagement with industry stakeholders, provincial representatives and the public college sector. This collaboration is crucial to ensuring that the program aligns with the unique labour market needs in Northwestern Ontario, mitigates disruptions to businesses and addresses various implementation challenges.
While we understand the federal government’s intent of reducing immigration levels in Canada, destabilizing strategic local talent pipelines and risking the closure of the college programs we rely on is not the solution. We strongly encourage you to delay implementation and to engage collaboratively to safeguard economic growth in Thunder Bay and across Northwestern Ontario.

Sincerely,

Charla Robinson, President, Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce

Jamie Taylor, CEO, Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission

latest news

*NEW!* Member Discount: HR Covered

Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce members now have access to select complimentary HR expertise for their business from the largest Canadian-owned human resources provider in the country, HR Covered.

*NEW!* Member Discount: MDR Consult

Stop overpaying for your merchant services and reduce your fees by as much as 50% without switching providers. Save money every month at no added cost to you. MDR Consult only charges a small percentage of what you save. How It Works Comprehensive Analysis:Our experts...

Share This