Easy transitioning into Ontario labour market.

• Author: Low, Andrew
• Position: NEWS

This December marked the first time skilled workers' qualifications from the rest of Canada are immediately recognized in Ontario, although local sources have not seen issues regarding labour mobility.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Ontario Labour Mobility Act allows, with some exceptions, for workers from across the country to have their credentials immediately recognized when they get to Ontario with their industry's appropriate regulatory body. It applies to more than 80 regulatory authorities and 300 occupations, including dentists, architects, and mechanics.

"If you're certified to work in one province, you can just move to another province without having to re-apply," says Patrick O'Gorman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

"It's something that's been identified for some time as a bit of a barrier to the economy. It's difficult in some cases for people to move from one province to another when there are jobs available.

"There have been challenges in the past."

However, labour mobility between provinces hasn't been an issue the Timmins or Sudbury chambers of commerce have been hearing about.

Heather Chertow, spokesperson for the Timmins Chamber of Commerce says she's hasn't heard of area companies having trouble hiring out-of-province workers. Instead, the trend has been reversed, with northern Quebec mining companies coming to Timmins to find skilled labour.

In Sudbury, Debbi Nicholson president of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, says the issue has never been brought to her attention by local businesses, although the issue of international workers getting permission to work in Canada has been addressed.

"I am not familiar with their qualifications not being accepted locally if they are from out of province," said Nicholson.

Dick DeStefano said as executive director of Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA) members haven't brought the issues of out-of-province staffing in the mining or mining supply sectors to his attention.

"I've never heard in six years anybody having a problem getting somebody having trouble hiring somebody," he said.

"I would bet that we're talking minimal...