Media Release
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
For immediate release

The Timmins Employer Council (TEC) is publishing a Toolkit to help Timmins employers address labour attraction and retention issues. “The Far Northeast Training Board suggests we’ll lose 40% of the workforce to retirement in the next decade, and we don’t have enough workers to replace them,” said Mike Resetar, Council Co-chair and VP Human Resources for the Timmins and District Hospital. “Attracting and retaining employees is a challenge for all of us. So we’ve listened to employers, done some research and found some promising solutions,” he added.

The TEC’s findings highlight two key recommendations. First, the most successful employers are seeking workers from diverse groups, including Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, newcomers and immigrants. They are also adjusting their expectations about experience levels.

The TEC Report describes seven hiring and retention barriers and recommends nine practices to overcome them. The Employer Toolkit contains fact sheets to help employer’s foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The documents are available at www.timminsedc.com.

Second, Timmins needs a community-based attraction strategy to attract and retain new residents, including immigrants. There are simply not enough people in Timmins to support a growing economy.  “Every business that employs international workers has nothing but positive comments to make about their enthusiasm, dedication, and overall work ethic,” said Keitha Robson, CAO of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.  Robson also noted that the retail, hospitality and service sectors have benefited from the recent influx of job-seeking international students.

Acting on Employer Council recommendations, the Timmins Economic Development Corporation is forming a Labour Attraction and Retention Taskforce. It will plan and implement city-wide projects to attract and retain a more diversified workforce. “We have good jobs and career opportunities in Timmins; we need to entice people to move here and stay here. We need to capitalize on the positive aspects of our quality of life, such as affordable housing, short commutes, and social connections,” said Noella Rinaldo, co-chair of the Employer Council.

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For more information, please contact Kelsey Luxton at kelsey.luxton@timmins.ca or (705) 360-2600 x 7083.

TEC Project partners include:

• Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)
• Far Northeast Training Board (FNETB)
• Timmins Employer Council
• Timmins Chamber of Commerce
• Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSB)
• Northern College
• Collège Boréal
• Timmins And District Hospital (TADH)
• Clearlogic Consulting Professionals

About the TEDC

The TEDC is the city’s non-profit community economic development team. We facilitate and support economic and social activity that creates jobs, diversifies the economy and improves quality of life.