Let's Talk Solutions

Forums on the Economic Crisis

Recommendations

Panel members and audience participants were asked to consider:

• The impact of the recession;

• The resources we have in our community; and

• The things we need from business, government and labour to build on our strengths and stimulate our local economy

Many good ideas and recommendations were generated at the forums, held between June 22 and July 21.

June 22

Peterborough

• All levels of government need to put aside partisan politics.

• E.I. should be amended.

• Governments need to work collectively.

• Need to map skills and provide training.

• Increase funding in Colleges & Universities.

• Cannot rely on the manufacturing sector.

• Create employment opportunities for our youth

• Need for the Community to have a big win to stimulate the general economy, and to provide jobs for our youth.

• Need to explore ways for companies to locate in our area, thus creating jobs.

• Need to have a “think tank” involving all major players to determine how best we can promote Peterborough.

• Provide a stimulus to organizations.

• Work with all levels of government.

• Business, labour and government need to work together.

• Partisan politics need to be put aside.

• Provide housing as an economic stimulus. Building of 400 units and a further 100 units creates work.

• Need operating sustainable dollars.

• Need a collaborative table to be heavily involved.

• Look at broad picture of local economy and community development. 

• Desperate need to turn to greening technology.

• Greening of all public buildings, schools, and hospitals.

• Installations would all create jobs.

• The need to address environmental issues cannot be ignored.

Sudbury

• New funding for small-business startup.

• Less bureaucratic red tape.

• More infrastructure spending, e.g. construction of affordable housing.

• More funding for nonprofit organizations, e.g. women's shelters and addictions programs.

• More funding for youth programs.

• More funding for trades and skills program, as well increased funding for postsecondary education.

• Federal, provincial and municipal incentives to buy local product.

• Incentives to create community cooperatives, e.g. community gardens.

• Incentives for co-op housing start up.

• Incentives for community-run barter systems.

• More cooperation between unions , nonprofit organizations, non - unionized workplaces.

• New business incentives for small and large businesses. 

• More financial support from all levels of government in the creation of new services.

Participants said the point is not to reinvent the wheel, but instead to facilitate access to services and to invest in community resources, including front-line services and investment in infrastructure and provide funding for "buy local products” and facilitate community-run cooperatives.

The participants clearly stated their hopes lie in future forums to encourage politicians and interested parties towards economic growth . In closing, the participants stated the seed has been planted by OPSEU and they hope to be informed of the forums progress.

June 23

St. Thomas

• Buy local.

• Reduce qualifying times for Employment Insurance.

• Green economy.

• Target small enterprises.

• Electric car assembly plant.

• Local business should expand hours of operation.

• Uploading of social services.

• Provincial economic forum with business, labour and government.

• Reduce so much government paper work.

• It is very difficult to get small business loans.

• St. Thomas psychiatric hospital could be used to help service servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan.

• Federal prison should be built in the area.

• Recycling centre.

• Renewable fuels.

• Focus on small business.

• University satellite campus.

• Free trade – Fair trade.

Orillia

• Play back Jane Jacobs and the City & Wealth of Nations

• Micro financing - import substitutions

• Invest in early years.

• Poverty reduction – regional group.

• Invest in education.

• Use some indicators of well being.

• Look at steady state economy.

• Look at other work models, e.g. Scandinavia.

• Taxes too low, progressive way of taxing.

• Georgian-Orillia some dollars.

• Georgian Orillia to create a plan.

• Need a local strategic economic plan.

• Emulate Nordic countries – alternate energies.

• Establish Green bonds, wind turbines.

• Look at Power Company fees.

• Communicate reasons for transit decisions.

• Municipal stakeholder discussions – idea generation for EDC.

• Read the creative age document – Richard Florida.

• Consultation on official plan good – this is a model for consultation.

• Increase collaboration.

• Pay more attention to demographics and plan around these.

• Create business incubators.

• Open source solution model for solution creation.

• College & municipalities to talk about ways forward – solutions – Mary

• City role – leadership.

• HRC grounds - an opportunity & strategy.

• LHIN no Orillia representation on this board – dispenses dollars.

• How do schools service our community for those young people not on a track to college or university?

• Social service supports will not sustain an economy but they need to be built up during a recession.

• There needs to be greater government funding in other areas, e.g. business grants.

• Education is also key to making our way through this recession.

• Tax structure needs to be revamped.

• All stakeholders need to be consulted on the solutions. Unity and cooperation is key to working our way through this economic crisis.

• Invest in infrastructure.

• Invest in local businesses, don't chase ‘smoke stack’ industries, as they will leave.

• Education at all levels is key at this time

• We need to look outside of the box for solutions, e.g. Scandinavian countries, greening approach, thinking globally as well as locally.

Thunder Bay

Panel members talked about the impact of the recession on the services that their organizations provide. They stressed the importance of educating the public about the roles of their organizations and the services they provide. They talked about how in the recession a wide range of community members are seeking their services. They said it was important for the public to come out to forums like this one.

These key recommendations were made:

• Organizations that rely on United Way funding need a greater boost to their core funding by the province because donations to the United Way are down. These include food banks and the Salvation Army’s Shelter House.

• In fact, food banks currently receive almost no government funding and they are in dire need, as they are experiencing a sharp increase in demand.

• Salvation Army’s Shelter House, which provides emergency housing, requires an increase in funding for its programs so it can provide the social supports that enable hard-to-serve clients to stay housed.

Kenora

• The organizer of the forum, Cassiey Moeller of Local 702, reports: There was a broad cross-section of community members, representing local businesses, labour, First Nations and community organizations were all represented. People offered a wide range of views but were willing to listen to what other people had to say. There was a feeling of optimism about the local economy. It started diversifying following the closure of the mill in 2005. It was reported, for example, that loans to small business are on the rise.

• The business community’s message is that we need to change and roll with the times. There is a concerted attempt to attract smaller manufacturing business. The importance of offering decent wages was recognized. The area has a 15.5 per cent unemployment rate but small businesses have had to recruit temporary foreign workers because there is a disparity between what they can offer and what working people need in order to make ends meet.

• A representative of the federal MP talked about how doubling the lanes of Highway 17 will bring a lot of business.  It was recognized that while tourism is an engine of the local economy, Kenora also needs other ones. Health care is not as prominently tapped as it could be. We’re building partnerships with the Northern School of Medicine and building a larger medical facility here.

• People talked about good ideas that had worked locally. An example is a First Nations in the area that got training for its members and invested in heavy equipment in order to build a new band building. As a result, the band has a new building, members received training in a trade, and a partnership developed with Confederation College which will use the First Nation’s grader for their campus.

June 24

Thorold

• 53 per cent of all businesses in Niagara are single proprietor businesses: find a way to get each company to hire one person.

• Buy local, support local industries.

• Create a local food movement.

• Establish policies mandating local purchasing.

• Improve public transportation system so people can get to jobs in nearby communities (an intercommunity transit system).

• Stop working in splinters.

• Develop a more communal model involving groups from Niagara, Thorold, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Welland.

• Avoid urban sprawl.

• Colleges can provide necessary research (i.e. different models of economy building).

• Develop more partnerships.

• Create a housing vision/policy (this will also create jobs).

• Strengthen hospitality and tourism.

• Ensure that people can return to colleges without losing E.I. benefits.

• 406 extension to Welland.

• Ensure a living wage.

• Create a booklet of all activities in Niagara.

• Start a solar heating manufacturing company.

• Divide larger contracts (i.e. roadwork) amongst a number of companies.

• A green G.M.

• Build an eco-centre.

• Promote co-generation.

• Find innovative ways to re-engage community so people feel a sense of ownership over the community (follow Obama lead e.g. use of internet).

• Worker co-operatives.

• Affordable/safe day care.

• The following initiatives have been planned by the Prosperity Council:

  • Expansion of QEW through St. Catherines

  • State of the art health care complex in St. Catherines

  • Niagara Convention Centre

  • Expansion of Niagara College’s Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake campuses

  • Niagara Health and Biosciences Research Complex built at Brock University

  • Performing Arts and Centre for the Arts in St. Catherines

  • Aquatics Centre in St. Catherines

June 25

Brantford

• Arts and culture-support the development through tax incentives.

• Look at internet technology based businesses.

• Collaborative work/farmers markets.

• Local purchasing.

• Stop downloading of social services.

• Reduce regulations/responsibilities set by government as they drive up costs.

• Agency collaborations for funding.

• Ensure appropriate time lines for applying for funding.

• Establish more core funding sources as opposed to temporary funding.

• Ensure that funding sources accommodate administrative costs.

• Reduce the extent of reporting required to justify/maintain funding.

• Incorporate skills development, confidence building, into to schools.

• Have employers support volunteerism.

• Give contracts to local business.

• Emergency food voucher programs.

• No fee events/provide food.

• Care packages.

• Small business incubation programs (food handling, catering).

• Community garden projects.

• Increase advocacy programs (assist with E.I., Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Plan, housing).

• Strive for innovation with in existing businesses.

• Corporations donate equipment (i.e. computers) to foundations who can then refurbish and turn over to families of non-profit agencies.

• Establish more resume writing programs.

• Share resources-set up rount tables involving non-profits, business.

• Money for retraining.

• Provide lists of help agencies.

• Establish culturally appropriate training programs (largest population of young workers are Aboriginal, yet there are no training programs).

• Education needed re: racism/stereotypes facing Aboriginal people.

• Provide free access to computers/internet through centres.

• Federal and Provincial governments adopt a “Canada Matters” policy (buy Canadian made/produced products.

• Set policy to ensure that resources harvested from Canada are then manufactured in Canada.

• Anti-scab legislation,

• Look at a “rights” based approach (the right to live free from poverty, the right to safe/affordable housing).

• Increase social assistance amounts.

• Increase funding to shelters.

• More subsidized housing.

• Decrease business taxation rates in communities.

• Share building space-organize a number of agencies, businesses, art/culture/recreation, into one building as a way of sharing costs.

June 29

Sarnia

o    Need more events like this.

o    Diversify our base, we cannot depend on oil.

o    Need more greenhouses.

o    More research and development companies.

o    Retrain workers.

o    Wage increases need to be reasonable.

o    Build a good solid campaign.

o    Build on local businesses.

o    Social services are not marketed.

o    Need social services and proper funding.

o    Don’t waste government money, i.e. e-health.

o    Continue to expand Lambton College.

o    Education system should look to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

o    40 to 50 per cent of local workers should be employed for infrastructure program spending.

o    Taxation structure to create investment.

o    “grow local – promote global”.

Windsor

• Government, business, labour and non-government organizations need to meet more formally together on a regular basis - not just in times of economic or community crisis.  This should happen at the municipal and provincial levels.

• Community agencies need more funding.

• Communities and the province need to increase funding for research and development.  Similarly, government needs to be more active in ensuring that research and development advancements and technologies do not move to other borders because of cheaper labour cost;

• Business needs to be linked to post secondary institutions for more meaningful research and development;

• Trade deals must include human rights, labour rights, and environmental standards;

• All municipal, provincial and federal governments must have meaningful buy local, buy provincial and buy Canadian procurement policies.  Similarly, legislation should mandate that all product labeling should specify what portion or percentage of a product was Canadian made.

• All governments should have ongoing long term infrastructure plans.

• All governments and communities must focus to build green economies.

• More attention needs to be given to small business.

• The Ministry of Economic Trade and Development is underfunded.

• Government red tape and restrictions for small business must be done away with.

• Lastly, similar community forums should be held periodically whereby government, business and labour can report on what they have done to ensure their community is moving ahead and to provide the public with additional opportunities to give feedback with all leaders in the same room.

June 30

Kingston

• An economic downturn is the time to build on what your community has to offer, e.g. recreational services that members of the community can access.

• If you invest in public infrastructure and services e.g. a community swimming pool, they will generate income and activities that families can afford to participate in.

• It’s important to take care of the most vulnerable io the community.

• In order to bring new businesses to the city, it’s important to be able to say what Kingston has to offer. And to introduce small businesses to each other in order to create more benefit for the local economy.

• For example, there is a small company in Kingston that makes tattoo needles. Local tattoo parlours didn’t know of this company. Now they know of each other, the tattoo parlours buy their needles and ink locally.

• It’s important to invest in the community, as in the example above, and also to draw in more businesses by highlighting what is special and unique about Kingston.

• In terms of job training etc., it’s key that life experience and the transferable skills that have been developed as a result of experience are valued as much as the specific skills and qualifications required for a particular job.

• Many governments of European countries share the cost of training with businesses.

• It’s important to develop a strong, skilled workforce that can be recruited by smaller communities when opportunities open up in smaller centres.

• Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College are important for generating research and development. We need at least some of the ideas to stay in Kingston with local business partners using them to expand or improve their business. The ideas generated at Queen’s and St. Lawrence would therefore provide a lasting economic benefit to the local economy.

• Kingston needs to continue becoming more eco-friendly. There are already some examples: e.g. the new police headquarters.

• Wind turbines on Wolfe Island: could this idea work on the mainland as well?

• It's important to develop other eco-friendly business opportunities.

• Lobbying by different sectors of the local economy, e.g. educational institutions, the non-profit sector, business and labour should be done jointly, not in their separate silos. We should agree to disagree on some things but collaborate where we can and present a joint lobbying front to government.
   

July 21

North Bay

Community members identified a number of goals for the economic and social development of North Bay and district at the community summit, entitled Let’s Talk Solutions.

Professor Leo de Jourdan, co-ordinator of the Police Foundations and VICARs programs, was the moderator. He guided a diverse and expert panel of community leaders through their answers to the three questions before them.

The panelists, Chief of Police Paul Cook, Mayor Victor Fedeli, Alan Mc Quarrie, Executive Director, Community Counselling Center, and Lana Mitchell, Executive Director, Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing, joined with enthusiastic community members in a goal-setting discussion that will be forwarded to the MP and MPPs offices.

The summit ended successfully with goals noted for funding dollars, social services, housing, training, infrastructure, start-up funding for new business, planning, treatment of moderate and serious illness, and the greening of North Bay.

The general discussion from the summit identified that North Bay had weathered the economic storm relatively well. It was discussed that it important to consult with business prior to setting policies and social service payments should be increased to reflect the poverty line.

Jobs that are created should be quality positions not just casua, part time. Community social service agencies should all be connected to ensure a consistent and full service to persons in need.  Affordable housing is needed as well housing co-operatives. Access and mobility for persons with physical disabilities should be improved. Every one agreed that more community summits would be beneficial.

Leo de Jourdan thanked the panelists and community members for their participation as well as the media and Best Western for their support. OPSEU Regional Vice-President Sue Brown, was thanked for her support as were the OPSEU Area Council members who organized the summit. OPSEU’s Jo-Ann Wilson, President of Local 667, closed the meeting, saying: “This is what community summits are all about: giving people the opportunity to gather and share their knowledge and expertise for the good of the community. That is one of the reasons that this community is so successful.”

• We need resources to provide assistance before moderate problems become high-risk problems. 

• We need to invest in health care.

• There needs to be cooperation in the relationships between government agencies.

• Eliminate opportunity for crime by locking doors and vehicles and providing support to police.

• Updates show that North Bay will be okay through the economic downturn. The community is doing everything it can to help families who have lost their jobs.Several companies are hiring, e.g. there is a need for 100 nurses.

• The federal and provincial governments have helped with the North Bay Stimulus Program.

• Social housing is on the rise here, e.g. Gerard Place.There are a total of 117 homes in the district.

• North Bay has a very diversified economy, with employment mostly in the Education and Health sectors.

• The mining sector has been hit very hard.

• The BIA advises that retail sales are on par with those of 2008.

• The Tourist Information Centre advises that visitors have significantly increased in July of this year over last year.  Accommodation is down due to people travelling in motor homes.

• There are many new construction projects going on in the community.

• We need to continue investing in infrastructure. Government funds have helped.

• In the next five years, there will be a need for five to six thousand positions. Students need to go in the trades. 

• Upcoming events, such as the International Plowing Match and the G8 Summit will bring thousands of dollars into our community.

• We must focus on new opportunities to create new jobs. 

• Government needs to be more aware of the challenges businesses are facing.

• Governments do not create jobs and wealth – businesses create jobs.

• We need to remember there are poor people even when the community is booming.  Northern Ontario has many programs in place to provide assistance but does not get the recognition it deserves.  Families are falling between the cracks faster and harder.  Even families who have done everything “right” are desperate and come to their organization for help.  Interim programs are set up but more help is needed.

• What happens when EI runs out?  These people have no benefits and things like a visit to the dentist are out of the question.

• Students are affected. They are graduating and taking low-paying jobs. Seniors who depend their savings are suffering. 

• Adult children are moving back in with their parents and bringing their children with them.

• Our community has excellent community agencies.Intake at Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (LIPI) has tripled in the last year but the staff has not increased. 

• More provincial and federal grants are needed to assist with social housing.

• We need to not be judgmental of others and the situations they find themselves in. Every one of us needs to be helpful.

• We must support our community in these difficult times.  Working people did not create this problem and they should not be expected to fix it.

• Citizens need to stand up for a green and livable community.

• North Bay will unveil its official plan next month and it will have green components.

• We need to demand that something be done about poverty. Social assistance rates and the minimum wage must be increased.

• Many nursing positions in the community are part-time resulting in nurses having three and four part-time nursing positions. We need full-time, not part-time jobs in North Bay.

• We must invest in green initiatives; work is being done at Nipissing University and government agencies.

• We must look at the question: How do we feed our cities?

• There are no young farmers up north and that is definitely a problem.  We have to start to produce more of our own food and we need to encourage and support our local farmers.

• Our community depends on its community organizations.

• We need to help struggling families and to invest in people, socially and financially.  We must work together and hopefully we can continue with forums such as this one.

• We must sell North Bay as the “Centre of Ontario.”

• The surrounding communities are affected by North Bay and should be included as such.

• The Public Health Unit’s dental program for children of low-income families is important. Many dental offices are involved in the program.

• Lesson to be learned: lower bus fares = increased ridership.

• Job retraining: the Ontario government’s Second Career program is up and running but it is too soon to see results.