Northern communities want a permanent foreign worker immigration program, sources say
As the health care field struggles to fill positions, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program has proven to be a lifeline, according to the Timmins and District Hospital.
Human resources manager Mike Resetar said the program has been an efficient way to address some of the hospital’s staffing shortages.
Mike Resetar, Human resources manager at Timmins and District Hospital. June 1/23 (Sergio Arangio/CTV Northern Ontario)
"We've been able to [hire] a number of roles […] with physicians, nursing positions, personal support workers, as well as support staff," Resetar said.
"The availability of these individuals looking for work is great."
Rasetar said the program is painless from his end and makes a foreign worker's Canadian dream easier to achieve.
Local program coordinator Bailey Campbell, with the Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC), said there have been hundreds of success stories since its launch in 2019.
"Since the beginning of the pilot, we've recommended 352 candidates," Campbell said.
"That's 352 jobs in the community that are being filled by skilled foreign workers and, in addition, family members that are coming and accompanying them."
The pilot program was revised last year to broaden its reach, among other items and is set to expire in 2024.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau joined other northern politicians in calling on federal immigration minister Sean Fraser to make it permanent.
Boileau said there's more awareness of and interest in the program now, plus applicants are better able to take advantage, with COVID-19 travel restrictions dropped.
"We've actually been able to, through this program, attract talent into positions that were going unfilled for years and years and years, and things that are quite specialized," Boileau said.
"It would be such a shame to have to sunset the program by this year's end when we've really gotten into the groove of things."
The immigration minister's office issued a statement to CTV News, noting Fraser’s belief in the program and desire to fix any issues.
"The benefits of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot are undeniable," the statement reads.
"Minister Fraser has spoken with those directly impacted by this program and has heard how it not only meets crucial labour demands but is also strengthening communities. We will continue to work on this and will have more to share soon."
Campbell said it's a matter of identifying any other flaws and gaps and gathering input from employers, employees and prospective applicants.
The TEDC is gathering letters of support from stakeholders, she said, as well as signatures for an online petition.
Officials said the goal is to both address immediate job market demand and prepare for an eventual exodus of soon-to-be retirees.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.