From www.theobserver.ca
By Paul Morden, The Observer
County council has voted to continue Lambton’s leading role in a local immigration partnership that Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley says is “critical” to the community’s future.
A newcomer settlement strategy created by the partnership was also been endorsed by council and county staff authorized to go after federal funding to put it in place.
“The birthrate is not growing the population across Canada and it’s not growing it in Sarnia-Lambton,” Bradley said.
“The only way is to attract people from within the country, or outside the country, who are skilled and can contribute to the community.”
A recent county report estimates Sarnia-Lambton’s population could shrink by as much as 13% over the next two decades because of low birthrate, an aging population and young people who don’t return after completing university.
Skilled immigrants tend to settle in major cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, unless smaller communities like Sarnia-Lambton find ways to attract them, Bradley said.
Newcomers adds diversity and can help answer the question community officials hear when they pitch Sarnia-Lambton to industries, Bradley said.
“You hear very little about taxes or other issues. It’s basically, ‘Do you have a skilled workforce?”
Bradley pointed to a Sarnia- Lambton Workforce Development Board report that said the community needs to attract an additional 2,000 workers by 2016 to meet projected labour force demands.
The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership is already working to attract more newcomers, he added.
The Local Immigration Partnership was initiated by Lambton in 2009 with funding from the federal government.
It’s strategy calls for improvements in:
* access to the job market for immigrants and newcomers;
* services supporting settlement and integration;
* English instruction and translation;
* co-ordination of newcomer services;
* welcoming immigrants to the community.
pmorden@theobserver.ca
Observer Article ID# 2843059
Posted in: Headlines