FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR LABOUR MARKET PARTNERSHIP PROJECT - DECEMBER 2022
Government of Canada and Province of British Columbia commit $250,000 to support a labour market study of Campbell River, Strathcona Regional District and Regional District of Mount Waddington.
The City of Campbell River, Regional District of Mount Waddington and Strathcona Regional District (SRD) have partnered for a Labour Market Partnership project.
“This government investment will help build stronger communities in the North Island region and help attract talent to high demand sectors such as healthcare,” said Michele Babchuk, MLA for North Island. “The results of the study will help communities grow a strong and sustainable local economy that will benefit people today and strengthen future generations.”
Labour market challenges remain a pressing, ongoing concern. The economic landscape of Campbell River and Vancouver Island North is shifting rapidly due to factors such as policy and regulatory changes, evolving economic drivers and global events. This is placing additional pressure on regional labour markets and impacting businesses.
“The economy of the Regional District of Mount Waddington has changed significantly over the past decade in response to evolving policies and changing demographics. We share many economic sectors with the City of Campbell River, and a study that looks at the integrated labour market of both our regions will help guide our economic development policies for the next five to ten years”, said Regional District of Mount Waddington Chairman, Andrew Hory.
To help address these concerns, the City, SRD and Regional District of Mount Waddington are undertaking a labour market study of Campbell River and Vancouver Island North. Activities will include producing an updated labour market report and undertaking several initiatives to attract healthcare professionals. Key focus areas will be the regional health and wellness, aquaculture, forest and tourism sectors.
“We are excited to be collaborating with Strathcona Regional District and Regional District of Mount Waddington,” said Kermit Dahl, City of Campbell River Mayor. “This project touches on many areas that we know are important to community members, including workforce development and healthcare. It’s an exciting opportunity to work together to support our communities and economies, which are integrally linked.”
“Our communities are all stronger when we work together. This project will provide valuable information and data for Campbell River and the entire north island. All of our communities can benefit from collaborative workforce development and attraction initiatives to recruit talent to the area” said Mark Baker, SRD Board Chair.
Labour Market Partnerships provide funding to organizations to encourage, support and facilitate strategies and activities to address local labour market or human resources issues. The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia are providing funding support of $250,000 through the Community and Employer Partnerships fund. Additional project costs will be covered by the City, SRD and Regional District of Mount Waddington.
A steering committee of regional representatives will help inform and shape the Labour Market Partnership project.
“We gratefully acknowledge the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia’s support. This funding will enable us to provide updated information and tools to help decision-makers address labour market challenges, seize opportunities and strategize solutions,” Mayor Dahl said. “We’re also grateful to the Steering Committee members for sharing their time, skills and expertise; their insights will add tremendous value to the project.”
The project’s anticipated completion date will be in early 2024.
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Contact:
Rose Klukas, Economic Development Manager, City of Campbell River | 250-895-0667 | Rose.Klukas@campbellriver.ca
Pat English, Manager of Economic Development, Regional District of Mount Waddington | 250-956-3301 | penglish@rdmw.bc.ca
Renée LaBoucane, Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Strathcona Regional District | 250-830-6711 | rlaboucane@srd.ca
