Photo credit: ralphbijker / Foter.com / CC BYPhoto credit: ralphbijker / Foter.com / CC BY
Ottawa’s recent budget focus on training and manufacturing echoes the comments many Oakville Chamber members shared in a pre-budget roundtable this past January with local MPs chaired by Oakville MP Terence Young. The budget also confirms Ottawa's commitment to eliminate its deficit by 2015.
The measures announced in today’s budget are a significant step forward in the federal government’s attack on Canada’s skills challenge. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomes a more activist approach by all Canada’s governments to confront a growing problem.
“The skills problem leads our Top Ten list of critical barriers to Canada’s competitiveness,” says Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “It’s showing up all across the country, in every industry. We are pleased to see the government is moving to confront it, and to include business directly in the solutions.”
“It is encouraging to see the Canadian Chamber’s barriers reinforced, especially regarding skills shortages, reinforced in the federal budget. These critical issues are aligned with many of the concerns of our provincial chamber network, outlined by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in their provincial pre-budget submission,” notes Julia Hanna, chair of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. “The budget’s focus on training will help both those seeking new employment opportunities and many local businesses facing a shortage of trained employees.”
Supporting manufacturing is another major theme of the budget, with several measures to help manufacturers create high-paying jobs and compete at home and abroad. This theme resonates in Oakville, where advanced manufacturing is a significant sector of our local economy.