KIM BURTON-SCHRAM
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Recent reports by Statistics Canada show that the Canadian economy has lost over 40,000 jobs this summer, particularly for those in the 15-24 age bracket, who continue to face challenges finding work in these economic times.
According to the federal government’s Job Bank, employment in manufacturing faced the largest job losses, with 3,000 jobs lost between May and June. Input costs have risen to produce goods, in part due to the tariffs, and demand has fallen, affecting those employed in the sector. Uncertainty in how the trade negotiations will turn out has also played a role in negatively affecting the demand for some manufactured products.
300 workers are set to lose their jobs in September with the closure of Ridgewood Industries in Cornwall. The company, under the umbrella of Dorel Industries, has been operating since 1969 and has played an important role as a local employer in the manufacturing industry. The company said the closure was part of a strategic shift in their operations, reducing production in the Dorel Home division, but also added that overseas outsourcing competition and challenges with U.S. trade played into the decision to close the plant.
Alexandria Moulding Inc., another key employer in SDG Counties, has also laid off staff due to operational changes. Alexandria Moulding has been in existence for 81 years, originally founded as a hardware store in 1943. The company is a leading manufacturer of wood mouldings & finishes in North America as well as in the global market. The number varies between 25 and 65 workers who are now without jobs due to the company phasing out some of their manufacturing processes. Alexandria Moulding said their layoffs were not due to the undercurrent of tariffs and uncertain trade policies, but instead were related to changes of products being made.
Other job losses in the province have been measured in wholesale trade, agriculture, forestry and mining. The Ministry of Finance has announced emergency loans for businesses in steel, aluminum and the automobile sectors through the Protect Ontario Financing Program. Those businesses must be directly affected by recently imposed tariffs, have a minimum of 10 employees and have a minimum of $2 million in yearly revenue to qualify for the emergency loan. Previously, the government offered a $9 billion tax-referral program for businesses impacted by tariffs, and a $2 billion rebate through the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) for eligible businesses, in effort to keep workers on the job while building a more self-reliant Canadian economy.
For those having to look for a new job, websites such as Indeed or Workopolis can be helpful or job seekers can go to https://ift.tt/Mf3nzlK for local available positions. In addition, the Eastern Ontario Training Board (EOTB) at www.eotb-cfeo.on.ca offers assistance and training opportunities. Their focus is with employers from Cornwall, SDG Counties, Prescott-Russell and Akwesasne, and base their training programs on information from local employers.
The Glengarry Inter Agency Group (GIAG) is another not-for-profit organization that can assist with employment services. GIAG also has programs for youth in transition to help people between 16 and 24 years of age realize their goals. The team at GIAG can be contacted at www.giag.ca.
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