NEWS RELEASE
THE CHAMBER
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Ontario's economic outlook remains uncertain for businesses and households as labour shortages, high energy costs, supply chain disruptions, and inflation continue to hit home. While Northern Ontario has historically been insular to these types of economic pressures, the North is not immune to massive skilled and available workforce constraints. Ontario's business community needs a clear and predictable path forward to support economic recovery and growth. Today, the Timmins Chamber and Ontario Chamber of Commerce released the 2022 Ontario budget submission with recommendations to the Government of Ontario to ensure a strong and sustainable recovery.
"In the upcoming budget, we would like to see the government direct sufficient resources towards the hardest-hit sectors while laying the groundwork for a sustainable and inclusive economy focusing on Northern-based businesses," said Rob Knox, president of the Timmins Chamber. "The submission notes that the crisis has created new problems and exacerbated pre-existing ones. Government must work to resolve these longstanding issues to ensure Northern Ontario remains an attractive destination to start and grow businesses.
OCC's 2022 provincial budget submission provides recommendations to the Government of Ontario under the following categories: Economic Recovery; Resilient Communities; and Modernizing Regulation and Fiscal Policy. Some key highlights include proposals to:
- Support entrepreneurship and small business growth with targeted business supports and access to public sector procurement.
- Strengthen Ontario's workforce by boosting immigration and training programs.
- Make housing more affordable through increased supply and regulatory reforms.
- Advance regional transportation and broadband infrastructure projects.
- Bolster our health care system and address major backlogs in diagnostics and cancer screenings.
- Seize Ontario's opportunity to lead in the global green economy.
- Remove barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility.
"To support a robust and inclusive economic recovery, we need governments to create the right conditions to support a productive labour force. This includes affordable, high-quality, and accessible childcare. We hope to see a deal finalized soon between the governments of Ontario and Canada," added Knox.
The recommendations outlined in OCC's budget submission were developed together with businesses, associations, labour, post-secondary institutions, as well as chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province.
Read the budget submission here.
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