Thunder Bay residents can weigh in on priorities for financial growth within the metropolis at an occasion on Saturday or an internet survey.
THUNDER BAY — The company targeted on stimulating financial growth within the metropolis of Thunder Bay is on the lookout for suggestions from the general public on its upcoming technique plan.
The Thunder Bay Neighborhood Financial Improvement Fee (CEDC), an arm’s-length municipal company that additionally homes Tourism Thunder Bay, is holding a pop-up session on the Items & Co. Market on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm
A web-based survey may also acquire public suggestions via June 15, with over 200 contributors thus far.
That enter will probably be used to information the CEDC’s 2023-2026 strategic plan.
CEO Eric Zakrewski stated the brand new doc will deal with priorities together with addressing labor power challenges, supporting tourism restoration and development in sectors like mining, working with Fort William First Nation and different companions to spur Indigenous financial growth, and selling elevated funding in social companies.
Based mostly on what he is listening to from native companies and different employers, Zakrewski recognized workforce growth as possible town’s largest financial problem — although he famous it is a difficulty confronted by communities throughout the nation.
“There’s a large demand for employees throughout each single section of employment in Thunder Bay,” he stated. “The forest merchandise business is struggling to fill a variety of positions… however we’re additionally listening to the identical factor from the resort business, from restauranteurs, from microbreweries, and in public companies.”
Main health-care establishments just like the regional hospital and St. Joseph’s Care Group generally see vacant positions like PSWs and specialists go unfilled for years, he stated.
Working to deal with that, together with via a continued deal with immigration, will probably be a big theme within the new plan, he stated.
Makes an attempt to rebuild town’s industrial sector are additionally prone to be entrance and centre, with Zakrewski pointing to alternatives in lithium upgrading, with a number of firms expressing curiosity in Thunder Bay as a possible location.
“Not less than a kind of gamers, the funding they’re taking a look at is about half a billion {dollars}, a few thousand development jobs for a 12 months and a half, after which 150 everlasting jobs to function the plant as they go ahead,” he stated.
The general public suggestions is significant, Zakrewski stated. He famous the CEDC is taking a look at increasing its deal with the social companies sector after listening to rising issues about points reminiscent of psychological well being and addictions.
“We see a number of concern concerning the social and issues of safety in Thunder Bay,” he stated. “You may suppose, what does that must do with financial growth, however we have a look at these challenges and we see alternatives round issues like well being sciences, dependancy remedy, disaster administration, and social companies. We see the chance to advertise and advocate for extra authorities funding and job creation to strengthen these helps.”
— TBNewswatch
