Commentary: Greater Moncton’s Workforce Dilemma
Huddle publishes commentaries from groups and individuals on important business issues facing the Maritimes. These commentaries do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Huddle.
By Michael MacBride, interim CEO of 3+ Corporation (The Economic Development Corporation for Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview)
At his recent State of the Province Address Premier Gallant mentioned that 2893 vacant positions were going unfilled in New Brunswick. It is important to note that nearly 900 of these are in the Greater Moncton area.
Greater Moncton has an unemployment rate of just over 6%. With 5% considered virtual full employment by many economists, the job market is very tight, particularly in the skill sets required by the kinds of companies that we hope to attract and who are actively looking for a workforce solution.
Obviously having a low unemployment rate of around 6% is not a blessing for those of us in the economic development business. Indeed it is a particular challenge in trying to attract new companies as well as to support existing companies to expand in Greater Moncton. The good news is that many other jurisdictions across Canada are facing similar challenges.
In the 1990’s it was easier to “sell” Greater Moncton given that the unemployment rate at that time was over 13%. To firms considering Greater Moncton, this rate represented an “inventory”. Like most communities in Canada facing a workforce shortage, we are now low on “inventory” and we need to replenish it.
Now more than ever our focus on attracting people to Greater Moncton is just as important as attracting companies to Greater Moncton.
Companies such as BMM with their skill set requirements are the kind of businesses that we want to attract. Many of these firms will locate where the workers are, hence our need to attract people now.
It is with this type of firm that, through its exportable services, wealth is generated in our community.
So, how and where can we start to find the employees to fill the emerging skill sets that companies are now demanding and have trouble filling?
To me, an obvious place to start is in Western Canada.
Just as Fort McMurray, and the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan provided work for many New Brunswickers when the oil boom was on, perhaps Greater Moncton can now do the same and reciprocate?
Could we, albeit, in a much more modest way, attract people from Western Canada who are currently out of work? Could we become “Fort McMoncton” for some of the highly skilled jobs we need?
This is just one of many places where we will direct our efforts to carefully recruit talent and thereby ensure that we are filling the needs of our existing companies and of those we are seeking to attract.
3+ Corporation is committed to work ever more closely with our municipal, provincial and federal partners, in concert with our engaged business community, to proactively attract more workers to our region. It will require a team effort.
Greater Moncton has a successful track record in attracting world class companies, and as such it is in a great position to lead the way in attracting the best people, whether Canadians from within Atlantic Canada, from out West or other Canadian centres, and newcomers from around the globe.
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