Bruce County council has given staff the green light to move ahead with an application for a new immigration initiative from the province.
The Province of Ontario is looking for communities to apply for the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative.
As part of the initiative only one Expression of Interest (EOI) submission per Census Division may be submitted with the successful lead organization working closely with local partners to ensure the program’s success.
The approval from council would have Bruce County to submit an EOI on behalf of the Census Division.
Participation in REDI represents an opportunity to strengthen the county’s broader economic development efforts by addressing workplace challenges, supporting business growth, and enhancing the county’s ability to attract and retain skilled newcomers.
“The provincial government over the last couple of years has created this program to see new immigrants coming into the province, to be distributed across the province,” explained they county’s Director of Economic Development Jeff Loney.
Bruce County is already in partnership with Grey County for the Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership (GBLIP), which is run by the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce, and is funded by the federal government through Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Loney added that there are benefits to being part of the REDI program, even if the province does not provide funding.
Participation in REDI, according to a report submitted to council, presents a significant opportunity to expand and enhance the workforce and resident attraction efforts that are already in place from the county’s economic development department.
The initiative will address local labour shortages that cannot be met through domestic recruitment, support business retention and expansion, and encourage long-term settlement in rural communities.
“Without this program, we would be still able to see individuals come in through the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program when they receive things like job offers,” said Loney. “However, without the program, we would essentially be competing for those spaces with everywhere else in the province, such as the City of Toronto, and other urban centres, which typically see the lion’s share of approved applications.
The program was launched by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development.
The proposed REDI program would run for an 18-month period, from mid-2026 through the end of 2027.
The application deadline was planned for June 5th.