Regional Forum helps employers make workplaces more attractive to newcomers

On Friday, November 30, Grey County and partners are hosting a regional forum to discuss strategies to support newcomers to our communities and how their skills can reinforce and grow our local economy. This employer-focused event will be held at the Village Conference Centre in the Town of The Blue Mountains and will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Our local unemployment rate is the lowest in Ontario and for two years in a row the Employer One Survey has shown that employers are finding it difficult to recruit workers, especially skilled workers,” said Jacinda Rudolph, outreach coordinator for Grey County’s New to Grey initiative. “We believe newcomers, whether from other parts of Canada or other countries, can help fill this gap if we can make our communities and workplaces welcoming and ease the transition to a new community and workplace.”

Attendees to the Regional Forum will learn about strategies for attracting newcomers and retaining them in the workplace. Keynote speaker Lionel Laroche will share strategies to help employers turn the challenges often associated with cultural differences into a source of creativity and innovation. Mr. Laroche has more than 20-years-experience providing cross-cultural training and consulting to more than 100,000 people around the world.

In addition to the full-day forum, Grey County is hosting a bonus session on attainable housing and models to grow communities. Anyone is welcome to the free session tobe held on Thursday, November 29 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., also at the Village Conference Centre.

“It’s no secret that affordable and attainable housing are barriers to employment in some areas of our region. This is true for newcomers as well,” explains Rudolph. “At the attainable housing session we’ll explore innovative housing models in other regions and recommendations and strategies to address the housing challenges that exist in our area.”

Tickets for the Regional Forum: Newcomer Integration can be purchased online through Eventbrite at regionalforum2018.eventbrite.ca or by following the links on www.Grey.ca. Sales end on November 24. For questions about the event, please contact Jacinda Rudolph at jacinda.rudolph [at] grey.ca (jacinda[dot]rudolph[at]grey[dot]ca) or call 519-372-0219 ext.1270.

Get Tickets

About the Regional Forum

The Regional Forum: Newcomer Integration is sponsored by OMAFRA and working in partnership with: Huron County, Perth County, Wellington County, Bruce County, Rural Employment Initiative, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Rural Ontario Institute and Four County Labour Market Planning Board.

-30-

For more information:

For media inquiries about this event, or to arrange an interview, please contact Rob Hatten, communications manager, at rob.hatten [at] grey.ca (rob[dot]hatten[at]grey[dot]ca) or 519-372-0219 ext.1235 or 519-373-1592.