Sarnia, ON – Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP) is highlighting the impact of the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot program, which ran from January to December 2025 and supported local employers facing identified and proven labour shortages.
Through the program, Sarnia-Lambton reached its target of 200 nominations under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), ultimately utilizing all available nomination spots from the province. The SLEP team has also connected more than 500 applicants with over 100 local employers, helping businesses identify candidates and retain valued employees already working in the region.
“The remarkable success of the REDI pilot in Sarnia Lambton shows exactly what happens when local employers, municipal partners and our government work together to connect skilled workers with the communities that need them the most,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “By helping connect newcomers with in demand jobs, we’re not only filling critical vacancies, we’re also strengthening the region, supporting local businesses and building a more prosperous future for families across Sarnia Lambton. Our government will continue to provide rural and northern communities with the tools and resources they need to attract the talent that drives economic growth, helping ensure Ontario remains one of the best places to live, work and raise a family.”
Prior to the launch of the REDI pilot, participation in the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program in Lambton County was limited, with only five nominations recorded in 2022. Leveraging the pilot, nominations in 2025 increased by more than 300 percent. Many of these nominations supported employees already working in the region, helping employers retain staff and stabilize their workforce in hard-to-fill roles.
“These nominations supported employers who were struggling to fill essential positions through the existing labour force, whether it be due to skills gaps or lack of applicable candidates,” said Matthew Slotwinski, CEO of Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership. “In many cases, these were the employees already contributing to local businesses who wanted to build their long-term future in Sarnia-Lambton. The program was not designed to fill positions where currently unemployed residents could accommodate the required skillset and labour supply needs, and nominations were carefully selected to only focus on positions with identified and validated labour gaps.”
The majority of nominations supported sectors experiencing ongoing labour shortages, including health care support services, early childhood education, and home support services.
“This program showed strong collaboration between employers and our economic development team,” said Cari Meloche, Economic Development Officer at SLEP. “We are grateful to the many local employers who reached out and worked with us throughout the process to help reach this milestone.”
The REDI pilot program also raised the community profile of Sarnia-Lambton across the province, while helping local employers address ongoing workforce challenges.
“Miss Helen’s Place has been providing licensed daycare and supporting families, including newcomers to Canada, for nearly forty years,” said Annabel Mouland, Director of Miss Helen’s Place Daycare. “The REDI pilot program assisted greatly with hiring dedicated professionals in our field. With the increased need for licenced childcare spaces came the need for more qualified Early Childhood Educators and Assistants. We were able to successfully recruit dedicated employees which allowed us to continue operating at full capacity. This enabled more families to secure much needed daycare spaces and return to the workforce knowing their children are being cared for by professionals in a licensed daycare.”
Immigration programs such as OINP are designed to support economic growth by helping employers address labour gaps while creating long-term community stability. Permanent residents who settle in the region contribute to local businesses, housing demand, schools, and municipal tax bases.
“While the REDI pilot has concluded, we will continue to promote OINP to local employers and help them understand how the program works,” added Meloche. “Our team can connect businesses with the right information and provincial resources if they are exploring immigration pathways to support their workforce.”
Employers who are looking to connect with skilled talent are encouraged to reach out to the SLEP team. Tools such as the Explore Talent platform allow employers to easily view candidate profiles and video resumes, helping them discover potential employees already interested in opportunities in the region. More information is available at www.exploretalentsl.com.
About the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership:
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP) is the lead economic development agency for the Sarnia-Lambton area. Funded by the County of Lambton, we focus on promoting the distinct advantages Sarnia-Lambton proudly offers companies and residents. By coordinating community-based economic development initiatives and maintaining a commercially attractive environment, we foster new business creation, help ensure that established firms remain and grow here, and work to attract growing businesses to the Sarnia-Lambton area.
For Media Inquiries:
Arianne Garcia
Marketing & Communications Manager
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
(519) 332 1820 ext 225
arianne@sarnialambton.on.ca
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