North of Superior Training Board 2008 Tops Report

8/14/2019 North of Superior Training Board 2008 Tops Report

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Januar y 200 8

TopTrends

OppOrTuniT ies

pr iOr i T i es

RepoRT

a member of

Champions of Ontarios Local Labour Market Solutions


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North Superior raining Board/Comit de ormation du Nord Suprieur

For urther inormation please contact:

Marg Scott,Executive DirectorNorth Superior raining Board/Comit de ormation du Nord Suprieur215 Red River Road, Suite 201 - Tunder Bay, ON P7B 1A5Phone: (807) 346-2940 Toll Free: 1-888-800-8893 Fax: (807) 344-5464Email: [email protected] www.nstb.on.ca

e views expressed in this document do not necessarily reectthose o Employment Ontario.

is funded by


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2 Executive Summary3 Introduction

4 Community Prole

10 Signicant Changes

13 Labour Force Data - NSB Area

15 Report Methodology

17 Summary o OP rends - Shit 2007-2008

17 Community Action Plan - Collaborating to Address Issues

18 OP rends

30 Reerences

Appendices

31I. List o Participating Community Stakeholders

33 II. NSB OP Survey36 III. Population Chart Communities in NSB

Table of Contents


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Trends | Opportunities | Priorities

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Executive Summary

he North Superior raining Board (NSB) rends, Opportunities and Priorities (OP)

Report is a labour market report and action plan that outlines local solutions to local issues.e report provides an overview of the major socio-economic and demographic inuences

impacting the NSTB area. Further it examines the structural economic shifts and signicant changesthat are driving a re-engineering of the areas economic landscape. is report details an extensive andinteractive community consultation process that results in an action plan to address labour marketissues and priorities.

is fall NSTB traveled 3000 km. across the Board area to facilitate consultations with communitystakeholders. Based on input and intelligence gathered, the following six labour market trends havebeen identied:

Shift in Key Employment Sector severe direct forestry employment loss

Marginalized Workforce Aboriginals transitional and integration challenges Emerging Opportunities in the Knowledge Sector structural economic shift

Youth Out-Migration youth engagement strategies essential to our future

Apprenticeship & Skilled Trades Shortages rising skill requirements

Aging Workforce knowledge transfer and retention in the workforce

ese six (6) major trends form the foundation upon which specic and local action plans arepresented through the 2008 TOP report toward addressing the issues and impacts of these trends,over the upcoming one to two years.

Recognizing the importance for accountability and performance, this report also highlights some of

the major initiatives undertaken over the past year, consistent with the prior year (2007) TOP report.

NSTB recognizes that the Community Action Plan must remain exible and responsive to changingcircumstances. As such, NSTB will continue to monitor local changes and shifts in the economicclimate, making adjustments and modications to the 2008 TOP action plan as required.

Northwestern Ontario is not only unique in terms of its geography, demographics and economy.It is unique in its resolve to adapt. ere exists a constant struggle to manage not only a decliningeconomy, but the adjustment and social impacts to workers, families and the broader community.Innovative and efective labour market development strategies are essential to encourage uturegrowth and prosperity. Together, with our community partners, NSTB continues to play a criticalrole as agents of progressive inuence and change to improve the quality of life in our communitiesthrough labour market development.


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Introduction

he North Superior Training Board (NSTB) is one of twenty-one Local Training Boards across

Ontario. An active and broadly based volunteer Board o Directors governs its afairs. Firstestablished in 1996, NSTB is recognized by community, economic and municipal leaders as a

partner o choice in the identication and implementation o local solutions to local labour market issues.

NSB plays an important niche role in acilitating local planning, creating and leveraging partnerships,and providing timely intelligence and leadership to help address both current and emerging labour marketissues. Although NSTB oces are located in under Bay, extensive outreach strategies and travel by sta,directors and committee members ensures that regional voices are sought and heard.

One of the most northern Local Boards in Ontario, NSTB covers

the District of Thunder Bay a unique community and culture: Historyasaresourcebasedeconomy,

Expansivegeography(NorthwesternOntariohas58% ofOntarioslandmasswith1.95%ofOntariospopulation),

Hometomanysmallcommunitiesand Aboriginal(urbanandremote)communities

NSTB Mission

Connecting community partners to improve the quality of lifein our communities through workforce development.

Mandate

Engage communities in a locally-driven process to identify and respond to key labour markettrends, opportunities and priorities (OP);

Facilitate a local (TOP) planning process that results in specic actions to address high prioritylabour market needs;

Develop collaborative partnerships to address employment, economic and social challenges;

Organize activities that promote the importance of education, training and skills upgrading to

youth, parents, employers, employed and unemployed workers, and the public in general.Annually, NSTB releases a Trends, Opportunities and Priorities (TOP) Report. e following 2008report summarizes regional input related to labour market trends, issues and priorities. Further, itoutlines specic actions and partnerships or advancing labour market development in the region,over the next two years. As a living document, this TOP report builds on previous TOP reports andserves as a strategic tool moving forward.


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Communities within the North Superior Training Board area have faced, and are continuing to cope

with structural shifts in its economy and its demographics and by extension to the areas workforceand labour market. ere exists a constant struggle to manage not only a declining economy, but theadjustment and social impacts to workers, families and the broader community.

e following overview proles those major trends that are pushing and pulling Northwestern Ontario toredene itsel.

Structural Economic Shift

For decades the north has been reerenced as a single industry economy. Forestry has been theeconomic driver in the NSTB area, to the exclusion of other economic engines. Small towns andcommunities throughout the region developed in response to the establishment o logging operations,sawmills and paper mills. It is estimated that between 25-35% of the areas direct and indirect

employment is linked to the orestry sector.Over the last 3-4 years a number o actors have converged resulting in transorming a generator o

wealth for Ontario and the region, to an industry in crisis. Global competition, a soft U.S. housingmarket, high electricity and other input costs, and the most recent surge in the Canadian dollar havecaused wide-spread closures and layos. Since 2004 over 5,000 direct forestry jobs have been lost andgiven the loss of these jobs, local intelligence speculates that at least that number of indirect jobs havebeen afected.

Several sources have declared that this is a structural shit, not a cyclical decline.

DecliningPopulation

As a percentage o Ontarios total population, Northern Ontario is shrinking. In 2006 NorthernOntario represented 6.5% of the total population, down from 6.9% in 2001.1

By comparison, Ontarios 2006 population increased by 6.6%.

As a resource based economy, the NSB area is victim to the inherent impacts o such economies.In the absence o economic and occupational diversication, youth out-migration has led to a stagnantoverall population size and a declining share of Ontarios population. (See Figure 1)2

e 2006 population for the NSTB area, being the District of under Bay, was 149,063. Incomparison to the 1996-2001 census period where population decline was -4.4%, the 2001-2006census report shows a relative stabilization of the population decline at -1.4%.

1 Southcott, Chris. Population Change in Northern Ontario 2001 to 2006. 2006 Census Research Paper Series: Report #1, Prepared or the raining Boardso Northern Ontario, 2007. p.27.

2 Di Matteo, L. (2007)A Policy Institute for Northwestern Ontario: Need, Models and Structure, North Superior raining Board. p.6

Figure 1:

NW Ontario Population as aPercentage Share of OntariosPopulation: 1871-2006

Community Profile:Highlights


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Positive growth was recorded in the City of under Bay at a marginal rate of 0.1% in 2006. is isbelow the decline of -4.1% in 2001.

Some contend that the relative stabilization and/or growth in a few communities is in majority,attributable to two factors:

a) Increasing migration o Aboriginal peoples to Tunder Bay rom other rural/remote communities.

b) Recognition that Aboriginal communities are the youngest and fastest growing (5.9% in 2001 to15.5% in 2006)3 communities in the north. It is noted that the Aboriginal population in theCity of under Bay aged 25 and under was almost one-half of the total Aboriginal population.

Clearly, the City of under Bays growing Aboriginal community (as a percentage of population)will change the demographics and labour market of the City. With higher than Ontario averagebirth rates, lowest youth out-migration patterns, lower educational attainment levels and higherunemployment (and under-employment), culturally sensitive labour market planning and employmentdevelopment initiatives are required to meet current and anticipated future Aboriginal employmentand labour market development needs.

Other than the City of under Bay, of the 12 communities within the NSTB area that had increasedpopulation, 8 were Aboriginal communities and 3 were suburb communities of under Bay. 4

Noteworthy is that mining communities did not see as dramatic a drop in population numbers as didforest dependent communities within the NSTB area.

A breakdown of population data for communities within the North Superior Training Board area isprovided in the appendices see Appendix 3.

AgingWorkforce

Northern Ontario is aging at a faster rate than that of Ontario. In Northwestern Ontario, virtually allbut First Nations communities reect this trend. e following aging trend summary chart conrms

little change in this trend over the past ve years.

3 Southcott, Chris. Population Change in Northern Ontario 2001 to 2006. 2006 Census Research Paper Series. Prepared or the Training Boards oNorthern Ontario, 2007. p.27

4 Ibid p.22

5 Southcott, Chris. Aging Population Trends In Northern Ontario. 2006 Census Research Paper Series. Prepared or the Training Boards o NorthernOntario, 2007. p.25

Trends in 2001 Trends in 2006

Age structure o north is dierent rom Ontario Age structure o nor th is still dierent

The dierence in Age Structure increased substantially rom1996 to 2001

Trends varied depending on age group

Seniors in Northern Ontario increased rapidly as a percentage othe population

Percentage o seniors in Northern Ontario continued to increaserapidly

Percentage o seniors is high in Northern Ontar io Ratio o seniors in the north is still high

The percentage o seniors is increasing rapidlyThe percentage o seniors continues to increase at a more rapidrate than or Ontario

Aboriginal communities have the lowest percentage o seniorsAboriginal communities continue to have the lowestpercentages o seniors

Parry Sound District had the highest percentage o seniors whilethe Kenora District had the lowest

Parry Sound District had the highest percentage o seniors whilethe Kenora District had the lowest

The percentage o people 65 years o age and over is increasingrapidly throughout Northern Ontario but especially in GreaterSudbury and the District o Algoma

The percentage o people 65 years o age and over is increasingrapidly throughout Northern Ontario but especially in GreaterSudbury and the District o Algoma

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As noted in the previous section (Declining Population) the inuence of the younger and fastest

growing Aboriginal communities is also evidenced in the aging trend as it pertains to the City ofTunder Bay. Compared to other communities in the District o Tunder Bay, the City is aging at amuch slower rate.

Again, it is noteworthy that resource dependent communities along Lake Superiors north shore havethe most rapidly aging populations.6

Recognizing the signicance of this trend, the North Superior Training Board (NSTB) commissionedthe 2004 reporte Eect of an Aging Workforce on Future Skill Shortages in NorthwesternOntario, (Southcott, C. & Di Matteo, L.). is report looked at the impact on aging workforce onfuture skill shortages in Northwestern Ontario. As forecasted, the impact of this aging trend is nowbeing witnessed including:

shrinking of the workforce; increased demands for social service supports;

expanding health care requirements;

shortage of skilled trades workers, particularly where retirement levels are high.

Clearly the catch 22 impact of an aging workforce combined with a structurally challenged economypresents obstacles to business attraction and retention. e aging workforce constricts the availabilityof labour. is undermines eorts to attract new business thus undermines the capacity to diversifythe economy and ofer employment opportunities youth are seeking.

AboriginalProle

It is estimated that the Aboriginal population represents slightly less than 9% of the NTSB areatotal population, or close to 13,000 persons. It is noted that these are estimates as exact numbers arenot available.

e City of under Bay remains a regional draw for Aboriginal families. Census data notes thatthe Aboriginal population in under Bay grew by 172% over the 20-year period from 1981-2001.In numbers the population is estimated to have increased rom 3,015 to 8,205 people.7

As noted previously, First Nations communities have the fastest growing populations in the NSB area.Census data indicates that the population growth of First Nations continues to increase - 16.5% in 2006up from 5.9% in 2001.8

First Nations communities are also youngcommunities. Typically, less than 5% of an Aboriginal

community population is age 65 years or over. In comparison, non-Aboriginal NSB communitiesoften record a 15-20% age 65 and over population.

Similarly, theyouth out-migration rate (approx. 5%) for Aboriginal communities is well below theNSTB non-Aboriginal community youth out-migration rates, often being well above 20%.

6 Southcott, Chris. Aging Population Trends In Northern Ontario. 2006 Census Research Paper Series. Prepared or the Training Boards o NorthernOntario, 2007. p.22

7 Urban Aboriginal Task Force. Thunder Bay Final Report. February 2007. p.34

8 Southcott, Chris. Population Change in Northern Ontario 2001 to 2006. 2006 Census Research Paper Series. Prepared or the Training Boards o NorthernOntario, 2007. p.2.



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Aboriginal education attainmentlevels remain below non-Aboriginal levels. According to theUrban Aboriginal Task Force,Tunder Bay Final Report, 2007 (pages 28-29) ...secondary schoolcompletion or urban Aboriginal people in Tunder Bay appears to have increased over the pastve years. Despite the increases noted, less than hal o urban Aboriginal people have a high school

diploma Te disparity in attendance versus graduation statistics speaks to the need or additionaleducational options and supports or urban Aboriginal youths to complete high school and graduate.

Education Levels Across Gender in Thunder Bay

Population 25 years and over by highest level o schooling, Tunder Bay, 2001 Census. All gures inpercentages. (Source: Urban Aboriginal Task Force, pg. 28)

Aboriginal

Men

Aboriginal

Women

Non-

Aboriginal

Men

Non-

Aboriginal

Women

Less than High School graduation certifcate 34 39 29 30

High School graduation certifcate only 7 8 11 14

Some Postsecondary education* 18 13 8 9Trades, college or university certifcateor diploma

34 31 37 33

University degree 7 10 15 14

Disparity is also proled as it relates to employment. Compared to the District o Tunder Bay2001 Census data, Aboriginal experiences in the labour force dier signicantly.

Labour Force Indicators2001 District

of Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay

Aboriginal

Ontario

Aboriginal

Participation Rate 64.3% 60.4 64.6

Employment Rate 61% 47.3 55.1

Unemployment Rate 6.9% 21.7 14.7

On all counts, Aboriginal peoples in the under Bay District have lower labour force participationrates, lower employment rates and much higher unemployment rates than the region as a whole, andperform below Ontario Aboriginal rates.

Employment income data reects the often precarious attachment to the labour market. According tothe Urban Aboriginal Task Force,Tunder Bay Final Report, 2007 (pages 32-33) the median incomefor the under Bay Aboriginal population was $9,149 (67%) lower than the median non-Aboriginalincome. In addition, this report provides an annual income breakdown based on their under Baysurvey respondents:

Less than $10,000/year - 37% Between $11,000-$20,000 - 19% At/over $41,000 - 13%

Combined, the above Aboriginal prole characteristics present multiple barriers to ull participationin the labour market. However, strategies are needed to transition change for the future to thebenet of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal workers, their families and communities.

As has been noted by many sources across Canada and Ontario, the linkage between education andemployment performance is key to productivity, innovation and growth. In a recent report releasedby Ottawas Centre for the Study of Living, Canada stands to lose billions over the next decade in

*Some postsecondary education reers to those persons who pursued their studies past high school but who did not get a postsecondary

certicate or degree.


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lost productivity and labour growth because almost one in two aboriginal youths dont graduate from

high school. e study projects Canadas GDP would grow by an additional $17 billion by 2017 ifAboriginals had the same graduation rates as the rest o the population.9

Knowledge based workers are no longer the domain of high-tech environments. Employers invirtually every sector are increasingly driven to enhance their human capital (mix of highereducational attainment and skills) to adapt to changing competitive circumstance or lead changethrough creativity.

Te Aboriginal population presents a real uture talent trust or the region. Investments are neededto advance educational attainment levels, develop the workplace skills employers need and transitionan under-represented labour orce into the uture human capital strength o the region.

YouthOut-Migration

Youth out-migration is not a new issue in Northwestern Ontario, but there is a growing need to exploreyouth engagement strategies to help young people stay in the north. Challenges in gaining entry into well-paying permanent jobs and limited access to education and training in rural communities, serve to force our

youth to explore opportunities in other parts of Ontario and elsewhere.

From 1996 to 2001 the rate of youth out-migration from the NSTB area was 14.1%. e largest declinesin the numbers of youth occurred in the unorganized areas of the District of under Bay and in thesmaller resource dependent communities along the north shore.10Te most signicant change occurringduring the 2001 to 2006 period, was a decline of out-migration from the City of under Bay, to 5%from 12.4%; while the high rates of youth out-migration along the North Shore resource-dependentcommunities increased even urther.11Te reduction in the youth out-migration rate in Tunder Bay hasbeen attributed to the in-migration o Aboriginal youth.

RecentLabourMarketInformation

e following provides some highlights of recent information related to the District of under Baylabour market. ese observations are based on excerpts taken from the Service Canada 2nd QuarterLabour Market Bulletin or the period April-June 2007 and the Housing Market Outlook or the

Tunder Bay CMA as prepared by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released Fall 2007.

e Northwest held on to its spot as the second highest unemployment rate recorded amongOntarios 11 economic regions in the second quarter.

Northwestern Ontarios unemployment rate fell from 7.9% in the rst quarter to 6.9 %, higherthan the Ontario average of 6.5%.

Job creation activity is principally centered in the services producing sector - these vacancies makeup nearly 48% of those found in the region. (See Figure 2)

High energy costs, low commodity prices and the soaring Canadian dollar, described as theperfect storm have hampered the economy - under Bays lumber and newsprint prices, bothimportant indicators of the local economy, closed the 3rd quarter at 52-week lows. (CMHC)

9 Puxley, C. (2007, November 26). Untapped Resource. The Chronicle Journal, p. A1

10 Southcott, Chris. Youth Out-migration Trends in Northern Ontario: 2001 to 2006. Census Research Paper Series. Prepared or the Training Boards oNorthern Ontario, 2007. p.28.

11 Ibid.



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e Ontario government plans to proceed with its plan to close all of the provinces coal-redplants by 2014 - there are two coal-red plants in Northwestern Ontario: one in under Bay, and the other in Atikokan and the closure of both will result in the loss of hundreds of well-paying jobs.

Buchanan Forest Products Terrace Bay Pulp Inc will use more than $22 million in grants and loan

guarantees under the provinces Forest Sector Prosperity Fund to install a $45 million turbine togenerate 30 megawatts of electricity at the facility; a $6 million upgrade on its Nakina mill willincrease the workforce from 140 to nearly 200.

School Boards in Northwestern Ontario continue to face job cuts due to funding reductionsrelated to declining enrolment.

Figure 2:

(SCC Tunder Bay Labour Market Bulletin 2007, Volume 4, Issue 2)

Employment Opportunities - Thunder Bay Area

SecondQuarter 2007

FirstQuarter 2007

SecondQuarter 2006

Total F/T P/T Total F/T P/T Total F/T P/T

Thunder Bay 2,706 1,651 1,055 2,647 1,653 994 2,645 1,588 1,057

Greenstone Area 133 72 61 103 69 34 125 82 43

Marathon Area 153 98 55 131 70 61 113 61 52

Surrounding Area 146 102 44 108 90 18 146 90 56

Thunder BaySCC Area

3,138 1,923 1,215 2,989 1,882 1,107 3,029 1,821 1,208

Employmet Opportuities by Major Occupatio Group

Thuder Bay SCC Area

SecondQuarter 2007

FirstQuarter 2007

SecondQuarter 2006

0 Management 170 153 120

1 Business Administration 400 406 392

2 Natural & Applied Sciences 164 207 152

3 Health 151 131 152

4 Social Science & Education 219 212 196

5 Culture & Recreation 45 47 35

6 Sales & Service 1,503 1,332 1,3687 Trades & Transport 429 432 503

8 Primary Industry 32 33 75

9 Manuacturing & Utilities 25 36 36

Source: SCC vacancies and newspaper want ads Previously known as Geraldton Area; name has been changed to better refect the identity o the area

Source: SCC vacancies and newspaper want ads


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12 CIBC World Markets Metro Monitor, May 31, 2007. Tal, Benjamin. Canadian Cities: An Economic Snapshot. Retrieved November 18, 2007,rom http://research.cibcwm.com/res/EcoResearch.html

13 (2007, November 9). Supply and Demand Northern Ontario ood banks scramble as more people in need. The Chronicle Journal, p. A5.

14 (2007, November 9). Power prices going up again. The Chronicle Journal, p. A6

Te CIBCWM Metropolitan Economic Activity Index (3rd Quarter moving average 2007) shows

under Bay at the second f rom the bottom at -0.9 in the Economic Activity Index, and at thetop with the Business Bankruptcy Rate.12 is index measures the pace of economic momentum inCanadas largest Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs). Nine key macroeconomic variables and driversof economic growth comprise the index.

is CIBCWM index encapsulates the forces causing the regions decline. As has been noted, theshift in the forestry sector is a major contributor to the regions economic report card.

For review purposes the following forestry related closures and downsizing is provided.

Cascades Fine Paper division closed on January 21, 2006 - approximately 520 lost their jobs;a local group is looking to get the mill back on its eet;

Abitibis under Bay newsprint facility has been closed indenitely in February 2007

- approximately 400 people in mill and woodlands divisions have been laid o;

Buchanans Great West Timber and Northern Hardwoods lumber mills have closed indenitelythis year aecting 625 workers;

Woodland workers in Longlac remain on strike since 2006; Longlac Wood Industries has laid oapproximately 400 workers;

Sturgeon Timber in Dorion permanently closed in 2006, 60 jobs were lost;

Columbia Forest Products Nipigon mill burned down in February 2007 leaving 130 peoplewithout work;

Norampac in Red Rock has laid o 570 workers from 2004 to 2006;

In under Bay since 2003 Bowater has announced closure of their groundwood mill, their oldestnewsprint machine, and of their Kraft pulp lines, eliminating 650 positions.

Against this backdrop communities are struggling with worker and community adjustmentmaniestations.

Food banks usage in Northern Ontario is at a record high of 4,000 families per month being well above the provincial user average;13

17,000 people live below the poverty line in under Bay;14

Local sources are conrming that the incidence of suicides are more frequent;

Shelters and substance abuse services are reaching or exceeding capacity;

More workers (and families) are looking at relocating out of the area for work;

According to CMHC 4th Quarter 2007 report for under Bay CMA, supply of resale housingstock has fallen conceivably due to economic and employment uncertainty.

As noted previously, the economy o the region is in transition. Te speed and depth o the orestrybased economy shit has taken time to be accepted as structural rather than cyclical.

SignificantChanges


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SignicantProgress

Acceptance of the forestry decline as a structure shift has galvanized community, business and municipalleaders to refocus and begin an economic re-engineering process one that includes forestry and relatedactivities but shifts equal focus to investing in new economic engines in the region.

Economic & Employment Transition Leadership

Over the past year the Northern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) in partnership withseveral stakeholders has crafted a Common Voice strategy. It recognizes the inter-relationship andinter-dependency o re-building a strong and vibrant Northern Ontario based on sound economic,employment, educational, social, cultural and innovative ideas to move us forward.

Lead by municipal leaders, NSTB is one of a core group of subject matter experts. Over the next year,the work of NSTB (including specic actions as outlined in this 2008 TOP report) will continue tosupport and advance the objectives of economic and employment transition and diversication.

e provincial government has launched its Growth Plan for Northern Ontario in May 2007, a plan

which weaves together a range of provincial initiatives in the North and in Ontarios mineral sectorto drive job creation, economic growth and competitiveness, and the participation of northerners incharting their own future.

Dr. Bob Rosehart was appointed as the Northwestern Ontario Economic Facilitator, to work withlocal people and businesses to help inspire a new generation of growth in the Northwest.

Policy Institute

Te North Superior raining Board released A Policy Institute for Northwestern Ontario: Need,Models and Structure in November, 2007. is report examined the need for a regional policyinstitute to analyze business, economic, technological, scientic, natural resource and societal issuesand generate policy advice for the regions economy as well as its environment and social issues.

EmergingBio-TechStrengths

e once edgling regional biotechnology sector is gaining momentum. Genesis Genomics, a leadingedge under Bay biotechnology rm, has moved from R&D to commercialization. is rm specializesin products related to the testing or ultraviolet skin damage and early testing or prostate cancer. Priority

will be given to hiring locally (graduates f rom Lakehead University). ese will be knowledge-basedjobs, with potential for future expansion.

Tunder Bays Molecular World, a DNA testing laboratory for forensics, is a joint venture betweenPhilips Medical, 3 levels o government and the Tunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Over thenext ve years, Molecular World will employ 207 people and stimulate the creation of another 400 to 600

jobs adding an estimated $90 to $110 million to the under Bay and Northwestern Ontario economies.

HealthCareGrowth

Health is the largest sector in the knowledge-based economy, making more than $100 billion inexpenditures annually and employing thousands of Canadians. Many experts feel health will be theprincipal driver of economic growth in the 21st century. (Canadian Institute of Health Research)

TeTunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is now oering angioplasty the hospital isexpected to perform up to 250 angioplasty procedures by the end of March 2008 and this number willdouble once funding is secured for a second cardiac catheterization laboratory.


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SignificantChanges

Te North West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), whose responsibility for planning,

integrating and funding many local health services across Northwestern Ontario, has developedan Integrated Health Services Plan which sets out broad health care priorities and strategies toguide the activities of the Northwest over the next 3 years.

Te NorWest Community Health Centres have launched a new mobile unit with a small teamof health care workers, in order to reach people in more communities from English River to

White River.

With a sta of approximately 1,700 and an annual operating budget of $115 million, St. JosephsCare Group is a signicant economic driver for under Bay and region. A new center foroutpatient mental health services has been approved, 100 sta will be working out of a newlocation and more than 850 outpatient clients will be receiving services.

LawSchoolPursuitIn 2006, Lakehead University submitted a proposal to open a new Law School. e Senate LawSchool Committee has completed its work and a revised application to the Law Society of UpperCanada was submitted in October 2007.

Animation Centre

Conederation College media arts education supports careers in proessional lm and videoproduction; the school has a new Centre for Applied Media Production (CAMP). e lmand television industry has been described as an engine o economic development in NorthernOntario and will help create exciting new jobs for youth.

MiningSectorInterest

Mining exploration throughout the north is strong. According to the Ministry of NorthernDevelopment and Mines, the provinces 43 operating mines generate almost $1 billion in wagesand salaries mostly in Northern Ontario. Earlier this year, MiHR (Mining Industry HumanResources Sector Council) released a mining sector HR report for Ontario. As part of this work,NSB provided logistical assistance to the research sessions held in the Tunder Bay area.

According to this report, thousands o mining and mining service (e.g. drilling, core sampling,geophysical mapping etc.) jobs will be needed over the next several years. is is due to thelarge number of retirees in the sector as well as the explosion of mining exploration and theassumption that some existing mines will be expanding with some of the mining exploration sites

being commercialized, over the next several years.It is not expected that the NSTB area will share the same level of operating mine sites asnortheastern Ontario and the more westerly parts of Northwestern Ontario. However, as aregional centre there is good potential or the NSB area to benet rom being a transportationand mining services hub. As this sector matures over the next several years, potential exists forsome established under Bay businesses and/or the creation of new businesses and jobs.

As a recognized labour market development leader in the community, NSTB continues to workwith our many community partners in playing a critical role as agents of progressive inuence andchange, to improve the quality of life in our region.


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LabourForcedatafortheNorthSuperiorTrainingBoardarea

Te most reliable data concerning the labour orce in the North Superior raining Board area isfound in census data collected by Statistics Canada. Unfortunately census data is collected onlyevery 5 years. is means that current data is not always available. is is the case with SummaryData for this year. While population and age data from the 2006 Census is available as this reportis being written, labour force data is not. is data will not be released until March, 2008. Whilethis summary contains data f rom the 2001 Census, readers should be aware that this data is quitedated. We have tried to provide more up to date numbers by using data from the Labour ForceSurvey. Tis monthly survey is less reliable than census data but does provide an indicator o thelatest trends. Labour Force Survey data used here concerns only the Census Metropolitan Areaof under Bay and therefore excludes the smaller communities of the North Superior TrainingBoard area.

Labour Force Data

Summary Data Commuity Profile

District Of Thunder Bay Ontario

Population Data

2001 Population 150,860 1,141,0046

2006 Population 149,063 1,216,0282

% Change (2001-2006) -1.2 6.6

Age Data 2006Population Age 25-44 (as % o Total) 2006 25.4% 28.4%

Median Age 2006 41.7 Years 39 Years

ImmigrationPopulation

Immigrant Population - 2006 14,110 3,398,725

Immigration ImmigratedBetween 2001 - 2006

725 580,740

Aboriginal Population Aboriginal Population - 2001 13,180 188,315Aboriginal Identity as % o Population 8.8% 1.7%

Visible Minority Status(Top 5 Groups)Population

Chinese 475 481,510

South Asian 365 554,870

Black 550 411,090

Filipino 345 156,515

Latin American 290 106, 835

Education Data

Highest Levelo Education(20-34 Years O Age)2001

Less Than High School 16.9% 13.2%

High School or Some Post-Secondary 34.2% 33.7%

Trades Certifcate or Diploma 10.4% 7.9%

College Certifcate or Diploma 21% 19.5%

University 17.4% 25.7%

EarningsData 2001

% o Labour Force Working Full-Time 49.5% 55.8%

Average Earnings(Worked Full Year; Full Time ($))

$45,211 $47,299

Median Family Income $60,502 $61,024

Source O IncomeData 2001

Earnings - % o Income 75.4% 78.7%

Government Transers - % o Income 12.9% 9.8%

Other Money - % o Income 11.7% 11.5%

Labour ForceIndicators 2001

Participation Rate 64.3% 67.3%

Employment Rate 58.4% 63.2%

Unemployment Rate 9.2% 6.1%

Continued on Page 15


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Summary Data Commuity Profile

District Of Thunder Bay OntarioLabour Force SurveyData 2006*

Thunder Bay CMA

Participation Rate 63.8% 67.7%

Employment Rate 59% 65.8%

Unemployment Rate 7.5% 6.3%

Labour ForceSector Data Industry2001

Agriculture & Other Resource - BasedIndustries

7.1% 3.2%

Manuacturing & Construction Industries 18.0% 22.0%

Wholesale & Retail Trade 14.1% 15.9%

Finance & Real Estate 3.9% 6.7%

Health & Education 20.1% 15.1%

Business Services 15.4% 19.1%

Other Services 21.4% 18.1%

Top Five LeadingIndustries 2001

(2 Digit Level)% o All Labour Force

1Health Care & Social Assistance- 12.5%

Manuacturing - 16.4%

2 Manuacturing -12.5% Retail Trade - 11.2%

3 Retail Trade -11.4%Health Care &Social Assistance - 8.9%

4Accommodation &Food Services - 7.8%

Proessional, Scientifc &Technical Services - 7.2%

5 Educational Services - 7.6%Accommodation &Food Services - 6.3%

Top Five LeadingOccupations

(2 Digit Level 2001)% O All Labour Force

1Sales & Service Occupations 9.8%

Clerical Occupations - 9.6%

2 Clerical Occupations - 7.6%Sales & Service Occupations- 7.5%

3Transportation EquipmentOperators & Related Workers,excluding Labourers - 4.9%

Proessional Occupations inNatural & Applied Sciences- 4.2%

4 Teachers & Proessors - 4.1%Retail Salespersons &Sales Clerks - 3.9%

5Retail Salespersons &Sales Clerks - 3.9%

Teachers & Proessors - 3.7%

Labour Force Data

*Labour Force Survey data retrieved 28/11/07 athttp://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/labor35.htm andhttp://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/labor07b.htm

Continued rom Page 14


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he OP process is an annual process led by the North Superior raining Board (NSB).

Consistent with community development principles, the TOP process is rooted in broad-basedconsultation that fosters ideas, innovation and voice from across the region. Consultations with

community partners and/or economic & employment sectors result in:

1) Validating current labour market trends and issues;

2) Identifying new or emerging trends as a result of signicant changes in the labour market;

3) Prioritizing through consensus issues to be addressed in the coming year;

4) Developing specic actions, potential partners and measurable outcomes to addresslabour market priorities.

TOPMarketing

Methodology: A Community Consultation Approach

Consultation Activities

NSTB initiated an aggressive 2008 TOP community consultation process. Not only were communityconsultation meetings held, but the schedule of TOP meetings was developed to expand geographicaccessibility. In addition, NSB targeted groups/sectors that have, to varying degrees, been under-represented in past TOP consultation strategies. As well, an electronic survey provided opportunityor input or those unable to physically attend a consultation or ocus group session.

Combined, these strategies have extended NSTBs outreach to the region.

TOP Consultations

In eforts to bring regional voice to local labour market issues, NSB traveled 3000 km across theBoard area, conducted seven (7) community consultations and engaged over 125 participants in:

Greenstone Pic Mobert (Aboriginal community) Marathon Schreiber/Terrace Bay (municipal mayors and councillors) Nipigon & Red Rock under Bay

AnewNSTBTOPlogoandpostcardinvitationwasdesignedand broadly distributed this year to promote access to the TOPconsultationandfocusgroupsessions.Basedonfeedback,thisTOmarketingstrategywassosuccessfulthatitwillbeusedinfuture


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All OP meetings included strong representation rom groups including employment servicedelivery agents, economic development, community/worker adjustment committees, as well asmunicipal leaders. e meeting structure provided for an overview of the role of NSTB, as wellas a 2007 OP update on activities taken over the past year. Each consultation meeting ofered

participants an interactive process to discuss, identify and prioritize local labour market trends andissues. Based on locally dened priorities, participants then worked to identify specic ideas andactions needed to afect change. (Appendix I - List of Participating Community Stakeholders)

Focus Groups/Forums

Recognizing the need to expand business/employer, labour and economic development engagementin the OP process, NSB sought opportunities to capture input rom these sectors:

Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce (NOACC) AGM in Fort Frances -44 business leaders provided valuable input;

under Bay Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors - a specic forum was held with 14in attendance.

Labour focus group - fteen (15) labour unions representing a broad spectrum of organizedlabour rom across the region provided input.

It is also noteworthy that additional focus groups were held with 64 representatives from the health,manuacturing, transportation sectors and the Aboriginal community.

KeyInformantInterviews

A set of key informant interviews provided subject matter expertise related to such things asthe knowledge economy; innovation; education; literacy and the economy. e qualitative inputcollected was factored into the TOP consultation meeting processes.

TOP SurveyDuring the month of September, an electronic community survey was conducted across the Boardarea. (Appendix 2). e survey asked respondents to rate, rank and prioritize fourteen labour markettrends, including the seven trends identied in the 2007 OP Report. Te response rate or theonline survey was 76%, being 50 on-line surveys completed. In addition, surveys were distributed atconsultations, focus groups and at association meetings 82 were completed and returned.

Research

NSTB regularly reviews reports, articles, publications and Statistics Canada data as a way ofbetter understanding economic shits and its implications or local labour market issues. Tis isan ongoing process and is necessary to remain a competent and inormed local labour market

development leader.


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Summary of Top Trends

Shift2007-2008Based on an expanded TOP consultation process, it was decided to review the TOP priorities in thecontext of urban versus rural/remote input received. e following chart provides a comparative of2007 vs. 2008 OP rends.

2007 TOP TredsGeeral 2008

TOP Treds

2008 Urba

TOP Treds

2008 Rural/Remote

TOP Treds

Forestry Industry Decline &Erosion in Resource-basedIndustries(shit in key employment)

Shit in Key EmploymentSector - Forestry Decline

Shit in Key EmploymentSectors (Forestry Decline to

Knowledge Based Economy &Mining)

Industry (orestry),Closures/Downsizing Job

Losses

Community & Labour AdjustmentGrowth (Shit in Key EmploymentSector)

Aging WorkorceAging Workorce -

Need or Older WorkerPrograms/Re-training

Aging Workorce -Need to Assist Displaced

Older Workers

Increased Demand toIdentiy Skill Requirements &Occupational Shortages

Shortage o Apprenticeshipsand Skilled Trades

Skilled Trades/ApprenticeshipShortages & Sector Specifc

Workorce/OccupationalShortages

Population Decline &Shit in Demographics -Workorce/Occupational

Shortages

Growing Skills Gap LowImmigration Levels

Youth Out-MigrationYouth Out-Migration -

Shortages o EmploymentOpportunities

Youth Out-Migration

Marginalized Workorce Aboriginals and Women

Aboriginal Population& Workorce Growth -Transitional

& Integration Challenges

Marginalized Workorce -Aboriginals

Limited EmploymentOpportunities/Upgrading

& Training Needed

Shit in Key Employment SectorEmerging Opportunities in theKnowledge Sector

Shit in Key EmploymentSector Emerging

Opportunities in theKnowledge Sector

Shit in Key EmploymentSector Knowledge Based

Economy (KBE)

Shit in KeyEmployment Sector

Need or Employment/Training Programs

CommunityActionPlan-CollaboratingtoAddressIssues

Based on the input and intelligence gathered through the OP consultation process, the followingsection outlines an action plan to address priority issues over the next one to two years. NSB willcontinue its role in facilitating discussions with community stakeholders to move these issues forwardas well as respond to new changes in the labour market and the challenges facing our northerneconomy.


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TOP Trends

Shift in Key Employment Sectors - Forestry/Community and Labour AdjustmentTREnD:

Priority Issue

Northwestern Ontario, over the past few years, has experienced a severe direct forestry sectoremployment loss due to closures and downsizing of forestry operations. According to the Ministryof Northern Development and Mines, on average, Northwestern Ontario communities depend onforestry for more than 27% of their employment and 34% of their income. Forestry has had thehighest employment and income multipliers among all sectors o the regional economy.

A major shift in the forestry sector has resulted in high levels of worker displacement. Eectivetransition strategies rely on a current and accurate assessment of worker skills, gap analysis of trainingand employment supports, and the identication of worker transition and/or employment strategies.

e lack of employment training programs and services in rural areas puts rural residents at adisadvantage when competing for employment. As well, lack of access to education/training optionscontributes to the out-migration o youth and presents barriers to business investment attraction,increasingly seeking knowledge workers.

Many communities face severe economic andemployment challenges, necessitating thedevelopment of a multi- functional adjustmentaction plan in support o economic recovery,diversication and workforce development.

2007CommunityActionTaken-DecliningForestrySector 400 attended the 2007 Regional Career and Job Fair in May 2007. Hosted by the North Superior

Training Board, displaced workers across the region were exposed to employment opportunities,skills (re) training and/or upgrading resources toward empowering them in making eectivetransition decisions.

e Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), has recently endorsed CommonVoice. is is a leadership driven strategy toward addressing the severe economic challengesacing the region. Several task orces have been created including:- Regional Enhancement Committee - working on community and labour adjustment

initiatives including an adjustment best-practices toolkit;- Employment Insurance gaps and barriers to re-training;

- Mature Prior Learning and Recognition Assessment strategy. e Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union of Canada created the CEP

Labour Adjustment Committee (CEPLAC) to assist aected forestry workers laid o from sawmills and pulp and paper mills operating within a 100 km radius of under Bay. Skillnder.ca isan electronic job-match system designed as a resource tool specically for displaced forest-sector

workers within a 100 km radius of under Bay.

Other organizations such as the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerceand the Northwestern Ontario Forestry Council continue their eorts to build support forcomprehensive public policy that creates a viable and sustainable orestry sector.

Thereareapproximately5,000announcedandimplementedlayosinforestproductmillsinNorthwesternOntario.Ofthes

3,000areconrmedpermanentanditisexpectedasignicannumberoflayosannouncedasindenitewillnotberecalle

(OntarioForestryCoalition,2007)


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Opportunities/Proposed Action

Opportunity 1 - Expand the services/informationresources and showcase opportunities in

emerging and growth industries for displacedworkers at the Regional Career and Job FairTunder Bay May 2008.

Partners: Lead - North Superior raining Board;Partners: Job Connect Delivery Agencies;Literacy Northwest; School Boards; CEPLabour Adjustment Committee; RegionalEnhancement Committee; LakeheadUniversity; Confederation College; AboriginalEmployment and Resource Committee;Employment Ontario; Tunder Bay DistrictLabour Council; Local School Boards;Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers ofCommerce.

Timelines: May 2008

Outcomes: 500 displaced, underemployed workersto attend Job Fair to learn about employmentand training opportunities; academic programsand skills upgrading.

Opportunity 2 - To accelerate the worko NOMAs Common Voice RegionalEnhancement Committee ask Force. Specicactivities include:

a) development o a regional plan to supportlabour and community adjustment activities;

b) based on best practices, prepare a resourcekit for local community adjustmentcommittees use;

c) provide solutions to address gaps andbarriers in re-training and re-employmentstrategies.

Partners: Leads - NSTB/CEP Labour AdjustmentCommittee; Common Voice; NorthwesternOntario Municipal Association; Partners:FedNor; CEP Labour Adjustment Committee;Regional Community and Labour AdjustmentCommittees; MTCU Adjustment AdvisoryProgram; FedNor; Matawa Employment &

raining; Tunder Bay Chamber o Commerce;Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers

of Commerce; Northwestern OntarioDevelopment Network; Northwest Trainingand Adjustment Board; Service Canada; WhiteRiver EDC.

Timelines: 2008-2009

Outcomes:a) Release o a regionally appropriate

Community Adjustment Committee BestPractices oolkit including sampletemplates for new committees.

b) A rapid re-employment assessmentbased on regional experiences, leading tosuggestions or enhancements tailored tomeet Northwestern Ontario needs.

Opportunity 3 - To examine existing recruitment

strategies and best practices or transitioningand re-integrating displaced older workersfrom declining industries into growingindustries such as mining.

Partners: Lead - North Superior raining Board;Partners: Communications, Energy andPaperworkers Union of Canada; LakeheadUniversity; Confederation College; under BayDistrict Labour Council; Employment Ontario;Community Futures; Aboriginal EmploymentResource Committee; Mining Industry HumanResources Council; Service Canada.

Timelines: Fall 2008

Outcomes: Funding application submitted or a LabourMarket Transition Pilot Project for NorthwesternOntario targeting workers from declining industries(e.g. orestry, manuacturing).

In2001,13.9%ofthepopulationoftheDistrictofThunderBaywas65yearsofageandover.By2006thishadincreasedto15.2%whichrepresentsa9.3%increase.

(StatisticsCanada2006)


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MarginalizedWorkforceAboriginals

Priority Issues

Less than half of the urban Aboriginal population in Northwestern Ontario have a high schooldiploma and lack the skills required to fully participate in the workforce resulting in lowemployment rates and income levels. (Statistics Canada, 2006)

Aboriginal people often face systematic barriers to employment. Transitional and integrationchallenges are signicant as they move rom (remote) northern communities to larger centres.

Aboriginal youth have lower levels of education. Combined with the demand by employers forhigher levels of essential skills this results in notably lower rates of labour force participation.

2007CommunityActionTaken-MarginalizedAboriginals

Urban Aboriginal Task Force publishedTunder Bay Final Report February 2007 commissionedby Te Ontario Federation o Indian Friendship Centres; Te Ontario Metis AboriginalAssociation and e Ontario Native Womans Association with several recommendations aimedat improving the quality of life for all urban Aboriginal people in Ontario.

An NSTB & Matawa Employment & Training partnership was formed and continues to workon employment pathways to livable wage opportunities, homelessness and workforce transitionsolutions or Aboriginals.

200 Aboriginals/First Nations attended the Niigaantige Career Fair in 2007, hosted by the

Aboriginal Employment Resource Committee. 10 students participated in a pilot project to gain hands-on construction training while they

attended high school. is was sponsored by the under Bay Catholic District School Boardand Fort William First Nation.

Confederation College partnered with Sioux Lookout Aboriginal Area Management Board indeveloping a Centre or Aboriginal Research (CAR) and Skilled rades training or Aboriginalsto build the new hospital in Sioux Lookout.

One-thirdofAboriginalpeopleinThunderBaywereundertheageof15.Forthenext

fteen,yearsthesechildrenwillbemakingtheirwaythroughtheeducationsystem,intothe

labourforce,andthehousingmarketandwillhaveasignicantimpactonThunderBaydemographics.50%ofurbanAboriginalpeople(inThunderBay)surveyedearnunder$20,000peryear.(UrbanAboriginalTaskForce,Thunder Bay Final Report,2007,p.30-33)

TOP Trends

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Opportunities/Proposed Actions

Opportunity 1 - o pursue recommendationsfrom the Urban Aboriginal Task Force(Tunder Bay Final Report 2007), and developa working committee to initiate employmentdevelopment opportunities or Aboriginal

youth, with a particular emphasis on essentialskills and skilled trades.

Partners: Lead NSB; Partners: Tunder BayUrban Aboriginal Alliance; AboriginalEmployment Resource Committee; YESEmployment; Job Connect; ConederationCollege; Lakehead District School Board;

Tunder Bay Catholic District School Board;Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School; Fort

William First Nation; Literacy Northwest;Tunder Bay District Labour Council;Employment Ontario.

Timelines: 2008

Outcomes: Establishment of a working group to

identiy measures to address high levelso Aboriginal youth unemployment.

Create and release to 100 employers acommunication tool to promote benets

o hiring Aboriginal youth.

Opportunity 2 - Host an Aboriginal YouthAchievement & Recognition Awards to proleAboriginal youth success stories and employers

who provide student coop placements.

Partners: Lead Aboriginal Employment ResourceCommittee and associated Aboriginal employment& training centres; Partners North Superior

raining Board; local school boards; Tunder BayChamber o Commerce, trade unions.

Timelines: May 2008

Outcomes: A minimum o 100 employersand youth will participate in an event thatrecognizes Aboriginal youth achievementsand promotes the importance o employerengagement or Aboriginal youth.

Opportunity 3 - Host a Northern OntarioWomens Economic Development Conference

(NOWEDC) to review and recommendnorthern based solutions and businessdevelopment opportunities for women livingin Northwestern Ontario. e conferenceprogram will include Aboriginal womensaccess and solutions to education, training,access to resources and mentoring.

Partners: Lead - North Superior raining Board;PARO, Centre for Womens Enterprise andAlgoma University Community Economic andSocial Development Programs; Other Partners -FedNor; Northern Ontario Heritage Foundation;

Tunder Bay Ventures; Heritage Canada;Community Future Development Corporation,

Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund.

Timelines: April 2008

Outcomes: 200 women participants

Specic strategies and next steps will beidentied to support and encourage

womens engagement in economic andbusiness development within the region.

Opportunity 4 - Explore opportunities withAboriginal agencies to help address transitional& adjustment issues for rural/remote Aboriginalindividuals and amilies moving to urbanNorthwestern Ontario communities. [Example:expand relationships between Aboriginal andnon-Aboriginal agencies and northern FirstNations that provides inormation, supports andkey contacts to those moving to urban centresbut have not yet let home communities. Tismay include looking at familiarization sessionsbeore leaving to move.]

Lead Partner: Urban Aboriginal Task Force other partners to be Determined

Timelines: September

Outcomes: Working group developed including original

agencies and others;

Best practices developed to guide strategiesto help transition and adjust those moving fromrural/remote communities.


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ShiftinKeyEmploymentSector-EmergingOpportunitiesintheKnowledgeSector

Priority Issues

As a result o the decline o our traditional orestry and transportation sectors, there is a need tore-position and diversiy our resource based economy via the development o a broadly basedknowledge economy. ere is a mis-match between current local skills and those required for thedevelopment of broad based economic growth.

2007CommunityActionTaken-EmergingKnowledgeEconomy

In 2006, NSTB commissioned a study by Dr. L. Di Matteo and released the Knowledge

Economy Report which identied strategies designed to create a networked regional economy.

As a follow-up, NSTB released a report outlining the development ofA Policy Institute orNorthwestern Ontario; Need, Models and Structure (2007). Tis details benets and possiblemodels for the establishment of a dedicated institute to proceed with reframing NorthwesternOntarios socio-economic uture reality.

Over 50 businesses and educators participated in NSTBs Mission Employability III.Tis session ocused on health care sector needs and career opportunities.

e Northwestern Ontario Technology Centre evolved into e Northwestern OntarioInnovation Centre, with a new focus on innovation, connecting partners, business developmentand youth entrepreneurship.

$14.7 million was invested in under Bays Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) forthe establishment of a Molecular Medicine Research Centre 200 direct jobs are created.

e health care sector in Northwestern Ontario employs more than 10,000 people. In 2007 morethan 54 new full-time nurses (Lakehead University graduates) have been hired at TBRHSC andmore than 400 physicians provide clinical services to patients at the new Northern OntarioSchool o Medicine.

Thegrowthofknowledgebasedindustriesisvitaltothegrowthanddevelopmentofour

economyinNorthwesternOntario-thenatureandstructureoftheemploymentlandscape

hasdramaticallyshiftedoverthepastfewyears.Thedeclineofourtraditionalforestryand

transportationsectorserodesthecollectivesenseofwhoweareasapeopleinNorthwestern

Ontariothereisnotonlyaneconomicloss,butalsoanentireshiftinourregionalculture

andsocietyifnewopportunitiesandemploymentdonotemergeforourdisplacedworkers.

(DiMatteo,L.(2007,April30).TheWayForward.The Chronicle Journal

,P.A3)

TOP Trends

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Opportunity 1 - o orm an implementationcommittee consisting o key regional partners

to bring about the creation of a NorthwesternOntario Policy Institute as outlined inA Policy Institute for Northwestern Ontario;Need, Models and Structure (2007).

Partners: Lead - NSB; Other Partners -Lakehead University; Confederation College;Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre;NOMA; FedNor; Common Voice; CEDC

Tunder Bay; CEP; Tunder Bay DistrictLabour Council.

Timelines: September 2008

Outcomes: Release o a Policy Instituteoperating framework including themandate o the policy institute; thecommitment o regional partners tothe proposed institute, identicationof organizational and operationalframework and potential funding partners.

Opportunity 2 - Create a working group toplan a Value-Added Summit to explorethe concept o value added as it applies to

all acets o economic development andgrowth in Northwestern Ontario. How do

we become a value-added society, not onlyas it applies to orestry, but also to health,education, services, mining and retail - asignicant change in mindset is required?

Partners: Lead - NSTB in partnership withNorthern Local Boards. Other Partners:Lakehead University; Laurentian University;CEDC Tunder Bay; Employment Ontarioservice providers; Northwestern Ontario

Development Network; School Boards;FedNor; Labour Unions; under BayVentures; Northern Ontario HeritageFoundation.

Timelines: October 2008

Outcomes:

150 community, business, municipal andeconomic development leaders to attend aconerence designed to develop specicstrategies to move Northern Ontarioseconomy rom a commodity-based modelto an innovation based value added model.

Opportunity 3 - Sponsor a week-long summercamp to expose youths to professional andtechnical health care career opportunities.

is is in recognition of the growing demand

or health proessionals in the area givenaging health care workforce and demand forAboriginal health care practitioners.

Partners: Lead -NSTB and e NorthwesternOntario Innovation Centre; Other Partners:

Tunder Bay Health Sciences Centre; localhealth sector representatives; LakeheadUniversity; Confederation College; underBay Indian Friendship Centre; local schoolboards.

Timelines: Summer 2008

Outcomes: 25 high school youth will have hands on

experience using a variety of medicalequipment and simulation activities;

tours of over 5 health care elds/facilities

exposure to the wide variety of health carecareer opportunities across our region.

InFinland,inarecentinitiativecalledValueAddedWood

ChainIncreasingTheAddedValueofFinishedWoodProductstheyestablished193separateprojectsrelatedto

creatingwealthinthevalueaddedwoodchain.(NorthernOntarioBusiness,October2007)



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YouthOut-Migration

Priority Issues

Youth are leaving Northwestern Ontario due to a dicult economic climate and the shortage ofemployment, apprenticeship and entry level opportunities in the present day job market. is exodusfurther constricts the available labour market upon which area employers can draw to meet specicoccupational shortages.

2007CommunityActionTaken-YouthOut-Migration NSTB 2007 Regional Career and Job Fair close to 4,000 youth, including youth at risk,

Aboriginal and rural/regional youth attended.

NSTB in partnership with the under Bay Multicultural Association hosted the under BayImmigration Forum in 2007 one of the key outcomes was strategies to recruit and retrain youngimmigrants.

Common Voice (NOMA) endorsed in 2007 the creation of a Youth Task Force to tackle issuessurrounding youth out-migration.

75 attended the Action for Youth Forum held in June 2007 to create a Civic Youth Strategy toencourage youth to become more involved in City decisions.

YES Employment delivered an Aboriginal Self-Employment Program to promote Aboriginalyouth and entrepreneurship.

FedNor-Industry Canada and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Youth Internship and Co-opProgram sponsored a number of organizations to provide work experience for northern youths.

TOP Trends

Whileyouthout-migrationisnotanewissuetoNorthwesternOntario,combinedwith

thecurrentstateoftheeconomyandanaginganddecliningpopulation,ithastakenon

anewsenseofurgencyandcauseforconcern.Enablingourfutureworkforcetoremain

inNorthwesternOntarioandexploringyouthengagementstrategiesisessentialtoour

futuregrowth.Further,providing

an educational and employment

environment to attract youth totheareaisalsoimportant.

Communitieswiththehighestratesofyouthout-migrationweresmaller

communities,unorganizedareas,andforest-dependentcommunities.Youout-migrationratesfrom2001to2006were43.9%inTerraceBay;45.5%inManitouwadgeand25.2%inGreenstone.Out-migrationratesinlargercensuchasThunderBay(5%)declinedthemost.(StatisticsCanada2006)

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ThunderBayDistrictTourismIndustryFacts&Figures:1.2millionvisitorsannually$23.8millionineconomicimpact

2,677jobsintourism$73.5millioninsalariesandwagespaid

Over1000businessesbenetfromtourismintheDist(SourceThunderBayTourism2007)

Opportunity I To work with the Youth TaskForce (Common Voice) and area youth

focused organizations (e.g. under Bay YoungProfessionals Network) to establish a youthbased group to help address employment andretention issues.

Partners: Lead - Common Voice Youth TaskForce; Partners - NSTB; under Bay YoungProfessionals Network; Civic Youth Strategy;

under Bay District Health Unit; Passport toProsperity; Northwestern Ontario AssociatedChambers of Commerce; YES Employment;Aboriginal Employment Resource Committee;Lakehead University; Confederation College;Employment Ontario; local school boards;

Tunder Bay District Labour Council;Literacy Northwest.

Timelines: Spring 2008

Outcomes: Establishment of a youth action group;

Development of 3-5 strategies targetedor youth as outlined in Enhancing theEconomy of Northwestern Ontario,

January 2007 (Common Voice).

Opportunity 2 Plan and implement a youthfocused regional Forum on Tourism whichproles the opportunities and benets otourism occupations as a career.

Partners: Lead Tourism under Bay; Partners- North o Superior ourism Association;NOMA; Lakehead University; ConfederationCollege; NSTB; Northwestern OntarioAssociated Chambers o Commerce; NorthernOntario Native ourism Association and more.

Timelines: November 2008

Outcomes: 250 to attend the forum 25-50 youth

Student/Youth Achievement Awards to helpprole the successes o youth in the tourismindustry and/or youth who are operating atourism based business.

Opportunity 3 Initiate an employer outreach andawareness program that proles the business

advantages o integrating immigrants into theirworkforce. By promoting and sharing bestpractices related to embracing the education,skills and talents o immigrants, employerutilization of an untapped labour pool willbe enhanced. Further, increased employmentopportunities will provide immigrant youths

with a reason to stay to build careers andamilies.

Lead Partner: under Bay Newcomers Clubwith under Bay Multicultural Associationand NSB

Partners: Lead - under Bay Newcomers Clubwith under Bay Multicultural Association;Partners NSTB; Lakehead University;Conederation College; Tunder Bay Chamberof Commerce; PARO Centre for WomensEnterprise.

Timelines: Fall 2008

Outcomes: Engage at minimum 12 area employersin hiring and integrating young immigrantsinto their workplaces.


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Apprenticeship&SkilledTradesShortages

Priority Issues

A rapidly aging workforce and a high percentage of retirements in several industrial sectorse.g. millwrights, electricians and mechanics will result in skill shortages. (Te Efect o an Aging

Workforce on Future Skill Shortages in Northwestern Ontario, Chris Southcott, 2004)

A mismatch between the types of skills provided by educational institutions and those required byemployers serves to limit potential development. Careers in the Skilled rades need to be promotedas a viable career option to youth/parents.

2007CommunityActionTaken-SkilledTrades&SkillRequirements

47 attended theNSB Mission Employability IIIbusiness-education orum or employers,educators, parents and youth to learn about careers in health care.

Close to 4,000 youth attended the2007 NSB Regional Career and Job Fairwhich featured anew Hands-On Zone to promote careers in Skilled Trades.

52 young women attended the partnership networking event with NSTB & Skills Canada Ontario- Skills Work! for Women designed to introduce young women to career options in the Skilled Trades.

NSTB has undertaken the rst phase of a Labour Market Inventory designed to determine the skillsets of the current labour market supply within the Board region and to project future occupationaland training needs.

NSTB in partnership with all Local Boards and Literacy Networks across Northern Ontariodistributed 10,000 Literacy Works! Te Foundation of a Healthy Economy in Northern Ontario to champion adult literacy initiatives.

NSTB administers Passport to Prosperity program. Instrumental in launching the rst high schoolco-op student placement program with the City of under Bay 20 student placements per semester.

Babyboomretirements,slowingpopulationgrowthandincreaseddemandforemployeeswi

translateintoanOntarioshortfallofmorethan560,000workersineveryeldfromconstruction

andretailtohealthcareandtourismby2030theOntarioChamberofCommerceforecastsshortfallforskilledtradesworkersat100,000overthenext15yearsnotreplacingthemwouldcosttheprovincialeconomy$43billionby2020.

(Girard,D.(2007,September27).Loominglabourvoidwillhitliketsunami.Toronto Star)

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Opportunity 1 - Hold a NSB Regional Career and JobFair 2008 to promote careers in the Skilled rades.

Partners: Lead - NSTB. Partners ConfederationCollege; Local and Regional School Boards;Lakehead University; Employment Ontario;

Tunder Bay District Labour Council; CanadianForces; Aboriginal Employment ResourceCommittee; Passport to Prosperity.

imelines: May 2008

Outcomes: A minimum o 30 Skilled rades Employerswill participate in the Regional Career and Job Fair

2008 to showcase career opportunities in the SkilledTrades; a new interactive feature Co-op Showcasewill feature pathways to co-op placements andapprenticeships to 4,500 students attending.

Opportunity 2 - Labour Market Inventory Phase II to undertake a survey based research study toidentify 5 major sectors of employment growth; todevelop labour market intelligence conducive toencouraging business re-location to NorthwesternOntario; and to determine the existing skills,

training and education levels possessed by theresident labour orce.

Partners: Lead - NSTB. Partners MTCU Employment Ontario; Tunder Bay CEDC;Lakehead University; Confederation College;FedNor; Human Resource Proessional Assoc. oNorthern Ontario; NOMA; NOACC; Local andRegional School Boards.

imeframe: March 2008 March 2009

Outcomes: Labour Market Inventory will beundertaken; report produced and published

with distribution across Ontario.

Opportunity 3 - o update, translate into French, printand produce in CD ormat Health Care CareerOpportunities in Northwestern Ontario to promotecareer opportunities in Northwestern Ontariosgrowing health sector.

Partners: Lead NTB. Partners CSDC desAurores boreales; Ministry o Education; Localand Regional School Boards; North West LocalHealth Integration Network; Lakehead University;Confederation College; health sector organizationsacross the Northwest.

imeframe: Spring 2008

Outcomes: o produce 200 health care career guides,in print and CD format with information onhigh demand health care careers available witha particular emphasis on those in NorthwesternOntario; with an aim to assist the challengingprocess o health care recruitment into the region.



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AgingWorkforce

Priority Issues

Northwestern Ontarios aging workforce will require employers to prepare for succession planningand knowledge transfer to avoid workforce shortages and lost productivity.

e closure or downsizing of major industry/businesses in single-industry communities inNorthwestern Ontario represents a signicant challenge for displaced workers and aectedcommunities. e adjustment challenges of older workers are accentuated workers displacedoften require re-training and are often expected to be mobile.

2007CommunityActionTaken-AgingWorkforce

YES Employment under Bay administers the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers designed to improve the employability o participants rom 55 to 64 years o age.

CEP Labour Adjustment Committee assisted with the implementation of adult learning andGED preparation course in the Red Rock-Nipigon area.

NSTB participated in the consultations conducted by theExpert Panel on Older Workers in 2007.

TOP Trends

Olderdisplacedworkerstendtohavelowerlevelsofeducation,mayrequiretraining,maybelessgeographicallymobileandmayfaceemployerdiscriminationbasedonage.(OlderWorkers:Challengesand

PolicyIssues,March2007,p.4)

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Opportunity 1 Share information withNorthwestern Ontario Labour Adjustment

Committee representatives eaturing a detailedpresentation on Literacy and Basic Skillsprograms.

Partners: Lead Literacy Northwest and NSTB.Partners Common Voice (NOMA) RegionalEnhancement Committee.

Timeframe: April 2008

Outcomes: Deliver 2-4 workshops to all activeLabour Adjustment Committee representativesproling the learning opportunities and literacyprograms available.

Opportunity 2 Develop and release an informationcampaign targeted to older workers andemployers to raise awareness of the area labourmarket challenges and opportunities.

Partners: Lead NSTB. Northwestern OntarioAssociated Chambers o Commerce; ServiceCanada; Employment Ontario; HRPANO;

Tunder Bay District Labour Council.

Timeframe: September 2008

Outcomes: o distribute to over 25 service providersand Adjustment Committees an informationtool for older workers as to opportunities andchallenges for older workers and examine currentolder worker supports/barriers for long-termemployability and skills recognition. Inormationgathered to be disseminated in print and CDormat throughout the Tunder Bay District.

Opportunity 3 1st International LifelongLearning Conerence Tunder Bay

Partners: Lead Lakehead University Department

of Lifelong Learning in collaboration withConederation College; NSB; INAC;MNDM; FedNor; Ministry of Citizenship andImmigration; City of under Bay; MTCU.

Timeframe: June 24-27 2007

Outcomes: 250 delegates and participatingpresenters will attend this conference which willprovide a venue or the discussion o lie longlearning issues and needs to contribute to theareas socio-economic development.

Thereisacorrelationbetweenliteracyandwagelevels.AStatistics Canada study indicates that each additional year of

educationapersonreceivesisworth8.3%oftheirpaychequUsinganannualbasesalaryof$30,000,thisamountstoanadditional$2,490peryear.(Literacy,NumeracyandLabour

MarketOutcomesinCanada,StatisticsCanada,2001)


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30

References

City of under Bay Tourism & Economic Development.Tunder Bay Economic Development ARoadmap to Success. Moazzami, Ph.D. 2005.

CIBC World Markets Metro Monitor May 2007. http://research.cibc.wm.com

Di Matteo, L. A Policy Institute for Northwestern Ontario: Need, Models and Structure. NorthSuperior raining Board, November, 2007.

Di Matteo, L. An Assessment of the Economic Impact of an Aging Workforce in NorthwesternOntario Using Survey Based Data, Tunder Bay, January 2004.

Di Matteo, L. Strategies for Developing a Broadly Based Regional Knowledge Economy inNorthwestern Ontario. North Superior raining Board, September, 2006.

Forest Sector Competitiveness Secretariat. Opportunities or Ontarios Forest Industry. February 2006.

NOMA. Enhancing the Economy of Northwestern Ontario paper. Tunder Bay 2006.Northwestern Ontario Forest Council. Moazzami B., Ph.D. An Economic Impact Analysis o the

Northwestern Ontario Forest Sector. 2006.

Paladino, Bob. 2007. Five Principles o Corporate Perormance Management. New Jersey: JohnWiley & Sons.

Part, Ben. Public Forests, Public Returns A Way forward for Ontario. Canadian Centre or PolicyAlternatives; June 2006.

Secretariat for the Expert Panel on Older Workers (March 2007). Older Workers: Challenges andPolicy Issues. www.ow-ta-sec.org

Service Canada Centre o Canada Tunder Bay Labour Market Bulletins, Tunder Bay. 2007.

Southcott, Chris. 2006 Census Research Paper Series: Population Change in Northern Ontario 2001to 2006; Youth Out-migration Trends in Northern Ontario: 2001 to 2006; Aging Population

rends in Northern Ontario. Prepared or the raining Boards o Northern Ontario, 2007.

Southcott, Chris.e Eect of an Aging Workforce on Future Skill Shortages in NorthwesternOntario, NSB and NAB, Tunder Bay, January 2004.

Southcott, Chris. Te North in Numbers A Demographic Analysis o Social and Economic Changein Northern Ontario. Lakehead University Centre for Northern Studies, 2006.

Statistics Canada, Monthly Labour Force Surveys, 2007.

Statistics Canada. Perspectives on Labour and Income. Quarterly Journals 2005-2006.

Te Conerence Board o Canada. Economic Insights into 27 Canadian Metropolitan Economies.Winter 2007.

Te Conerence Board o Canada. Ontarios Looming Labour Shortage Challenges Projectionsof Labour Shortages in Ontario, and Possible Strategies to Engage Unused and UnderutilizedHuman Resources. September 25, 2007.

rendline Consulting Services. Community Assessment Impact o Closures and Layofs in theDistrict o Tunder Bay. North Superior raining Board. June 2006.

Urban Aboriginal Task Force.Tunder Bay Final Report. February, 2007.

Numerous web based reports utilized may be found on the North Superior raining Board website www.nstb.on.ca


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Appendix I:ListofParticipatingCommunityStakehol

Industry & BusinessBearskin AirlinesBell Canada

Bombardier Inc.

Bowater

Capital Financial Services

Floyds Auto Glass

GRK Fasteners

Longlac Wood Industries

Marathon Pulp Inc.

National Car Rental

Red Rock Inn

Royal Bank o Canada

bay el

Tunder Bay Chamber o Commerce Board of Directors

Tunder Bay InternationalAirport Authority

Tunder Bay Port Authority

Tunder Bay ransit

Wanlin & Associates

Williams Mine

Municipalities

City o Tunder Bay

Municipality of Greenstone

Municipality of Manitouwadge

Municipality o Marathon

Municipality o Schreiber

Municipality o errace Bay

Township of Shuniah

Township of Dorion

Township of Nipigon

Township of Red Rock

GovernmentMinistry of Citizenship & Immigration

Ministry o Education

Ministry of Northern Development & Mines

Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

CommunityOrganizations

Academy o Learning

Anishinabek Employment & Training Services

Association des Francophones du Nord-Ouestde lOntario (AFNOO)CanadianHearing Society

CDI College

Childrens Aid Society

City o Tunder Bay

Collge Boral

Community Living Tunder Bay

Conederation College - Tunder Bay,Marathon, Greenstone

Contact North - Nipigon, Geraldton

Diversity Tunder Bay

FedNor - Industry Canada

Fort William First Nation

Geraldton Community Forest

Greenstone Economic Development

Greenstone Public Library

Greenstone Social Services

Independent Living Resource CentreJob Connect Confederation College;YES Employment; Geraldton; Marathon

Lakehead Adult Learning Centre

Lakehead Social Planning Council

Lakehead University

Land o Nipigon Chamber o Commerce

Literacy Northwest

Long Lake #58 First Nations

Longlac Wood Industries

Mamo-Wichi-Hetiwin

Matawa Employment & Training ServicesMtis Nation o Ontario

More an Words Employment Greenstone

Negahneewin College of Aboriginal Studies

Nipigon Community AdjustmentCommittee

Nipigon Hospital

Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund


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Appendix I:ListofParticipatingCommunityStakeh

Nor West Community Health Centres

North West Local Health IntegrationNetwork

Northern Ontario Municipal Association

Northwestern Ontario (HRPANO)

Northwestern Ontario AssociatedChambers o Commerce

Northwestern Ontario DevelopmentNetwork

Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre

Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition

Ontario March o Dimes

Ontario Metis Aboriginal AssociationOntario Native Womens Association

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win

PARO: Centre Womens Enterprise

Pic Mobert First Nation

Pic River First Nation

Red Rock Community AdjustmentCommittee

Red Rock Indian Band

Regional Multicultural Youth Council

Service CanadaStep Job Connect Nipigon

Superior North CommunityFutures Development

under Bay & District Labour Council

Tunder Bay Chamber o Commerce

Tunder Bay Chamber o CommerceBoard o Directors

Tunder Bay Community EconomicDevelopment Commission

Tunder Bay District Social Services

Tunder Bay Indian Friendship Centreunder Bay Literacy Group

Tunder Bay Multicultural Association

Tunder Bay Public Library

Tunder Bay Regional HealthSciences Centre

under Bay Urban Aboriginal Strategy

Tunder Bay Venturesunderbird Friendship Centre Geraldton

Wesway

Wilson Memorial General Hospital

WSIB

YES Employment

Youth Employment Services

School Boards

Conseil scolaire de district catholiquedes Aurores borles

Lakehead District School Board

Superior Greenstone District School Board

Tunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Unions

Canadian Auto Workers Local 1075

United Steel Workers

Carpenters Local 1669

Canadian Auto Workers Local 229,Local 1075

Public Service Alliance CanadaCUPE 87

Iron Workers Local 759

International Brotherhood o ElectricalWorkers Local 402

Communications, Energy & PaperworkersUnion CEP under Bay Action Centre

International Union of Operating EngineersLocal 793

Sheet Metal Workers InternationalAssociation, Local 397

International Association o Machinistsand Aerospace Workers

International Brotherhood o Boilermakers

International Union of Bricklayers

Plumbers and Fitters Local 628


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Appendix II:NSTB TOP Survey

Question#1

For each of the Trends listed below please rate the importance of the Trend as it impacts on thecurrent labour market:

ExtremelyImportant

ImportantSomewhatImportant

SomewhatUnimportant

Unimportant

a) Forestry Decline & Restructuring(Shit in Key Employment Sector) o o o o o

b) Community & Labour Adjustment activity(Shit in Key Employment Sector) o o o o o

c) Occupational Shortages o o o o o

d) Immigration (low levels) o o o o o

e) Aboriginal Population Growth & High Unemployment(Marginalized Workorce) o o o o o

) Women Under-Represented in Labour Force(Marginalized Workorce) o o o o o

g) Emerging Knowledge-Based Economy Opportunities(Shit in Key Employment Sector) o o o o o

h) Youth Outmigration o o o o o

i) Lack o current Labour Market Inormation o o o o o

j) Aging Population/Workorce o o o o o

k) Population Decline o o o o o

l) Persons with Disabilities Under-Represented inLabour Force (Marginalized Workorce) o o o o o

m) Skills/Trades & Apprenticeship Shortages o o o o o

n) Literacy & Essential Skills/Lie Skills Defciencies o o o o o

OTHER: speciy and rate a Trend not included in the above list (i applicable)

Question #2

Take only the Extremely Important and Important Trends you chose in Question 1 and putthe top seven (7) in order o importance (1=most important; 7=least important) to be addressed

immediately. (No duplicate numbers please.)

a) Forestry Decline & Restructuring (Shift in Key Employment Sector)

b) Community & Labour Adjustment activity (Shift in Key Employment Sector)

c) Occupational Shortages

d) Immigration (low levels)

e) Aboriginal Population Growth & High Unemployment (Marginalized Workforce)


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Appendix II:NSTB TOP Survey

f ) Women Under-Represented in Labour Force (Marginalized Workforce)g) Emerging Knowledge-Based Economy Opportunities (Shift in Key Employment Sector)

h) Youth Outmigration

i) Lack o current Labour Market Inormation

j) Aging Population/Workforce

k) Population Decline

l) Persons with Disabilities Under - Represented in Labour

m) Skills/Trades & Apprenticeship Shortages

n) Literacy & Essential Skills/Life Skills Deciencieso) OTHER: as identied in Q1 - Trend not included in the above list (if applicable)

Question #3

For each of the top seven (7) Trends you chose in Question 2, tell us about any actions or initiativesyou, your organization or business have taken to address this labour market Trend.

[Examples: Business = taking o

North of Superior Training Board 2008 Tops Report

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