An investment of half a million dollars by the federal government to a program intended to attract and retain skilled immigrants to Sault Ste. Marie and help to work toward the future population goals of the city.
Thursday’s funding announcement by FedNor was the first in-person press conference held inside the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre since the beginning of the pandemic.
In 2019, the civic centre was the stage for the announcement of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), a federal program put in place to attract skilled immigrants to Northern Ontario and spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities.
In the two years since the program was launched, the City of Sault Ste. Marie has made 109 recommendations of candidates for the program to the government of Canada. To date, a total of nine people in the city have earned permanent residency.
Thursday’s announcement added an additional $500,000 for the program, funding it until 2025.
The program has attracted applicants from many countries, including India, Ghana, Pakistan and Brazil, among others, said Paul Sayers, labour force development coordinator for the City of Sault Ste. Marie.
“We are also seeing an uptick in candidates from the United States,” said Sayers.
Many of the applicants are already living in Sault Ste. Marie when they apply for the program, said Sayers.
“I think a lot of that stems from Sault College and their efforts in international recruitment because those students manage to find employment in this city,” he said. “They have been going to school here and decided to make Sault Ste. Marie a place to stay.”
Two of the first people accepted to the program in 2019 went on to careers as licensed practical nurses, working on the front lines against COVID-19.
Over 50 employers in the Sault have accessed the RNIP program, with many more expressing interest.
Key positions that need to be filled include personal support workers and other health care careers, information technology and high-level hospitality careers, like chefs and managers.
“We have also made some flexibility for careers that aren’t necessarily on our radar, because they are not known about or maybe one-offs,” said Sayers.
That mix of positions will fill the immediate needs during the pandemic, as well as for careers that will open up as the city moves past COVID-19.
“There will be a lot of retirements coming from various industries and labour shortages that will become compounded,” said Sayers. “I think this program is something we can utilize to fill some of those shortages.”
Mayor Christian Provenzano said during the press conference that moving to a new city can be a challenge for anyone, especially someone learning a new language, having trouble finding work in their field or getting their education credentials recognized.
“Simple acts of kindness and inclusion can go a long way in helping people to feel a part of your community. I have witnessed this time and again over the past number of years,” said Provenzano. “The story of Sault Ste. Marie is very much one of gatherings, migration and immigration and it is a story that is still being written today with new chapters yet to come.”
The RNIP program is one tool in the city’s toolbox that will help it to achieve the goal of a population of 100,000 by 2037, said Provenzano.
“This tool itself won’t get us there, but the fact we are very actively looking to develop relationships and connections between employers and immigrants who want to become permanent residents in Canada, will help us get there,” said Provenzano.
MP Terry Sheehan made the announcement on behalf of FedNor, Canada's economic development organization for Northern Ontario. He said it will also help to maintain up to 300 jobs over the next three years.
“This funding will enable us to attract and retain newcomers to the city to infill any employment gaps,” said Sheehan during his remarks.
Sayers has been in his role as labour force development coordinator for the past three years. It was announced on Thursday during the conference that he will soon be leaving and taking on a new challenge at Algoma University.
He said one of the most rewarding parts of his current job is telling a RNIP candidate that they received a recommendation or when they contact him to say they received permanent residency.
“That’s just a really good feeling because they are so grateful because they worked so hard to get here,” said Sayers.