ELLIOT LAKEELLIOT LAKE  

Business Retention + Expansion Business Retention + Expansion 2007 and Beyond 2007 and Beyond

  

Environmental ScanEnvironmental Scan

• CensusCensus• Changing economyChanging economy• AWIC – labour shortagesAWIC – labour shortages• BR+EBR+E

•Elliot LakeElliot Lake•North ShoreNorth Shore

Algoma AreaAlgoma Area

Elliot Lake BR+E - Elliot Lake BR+E - Business StatusBusiness Status

• 45% will expand, 48% stay same size 45% will expand, 48% stay same size in next three yearsin next three years

• Expansion will mean renovations, Expansion will mean renovations, equipment, hiring, and investment in equipment, hiring, and investment in Elliot LakeElliot Lake

• NOTE: Expansion is likely to happen, NOTE: Expansion is likely to happen, yet labour shortages are evident yet labour shortages are evident (workforce)(workforce)

WorkforceWorkforce• 38% have more employees than 3 38% have more employees than 3

years agoyears ago• 42% need more labour42% need more labour• 71% - skilled labour an issue71% - skilled labour an issue• 62 positions to be filled now (229)62 positions to be filled now (229)• 207 in 3 years (766)207 in 3 years (766)• 41% unskilled, 29% trades41% unskilled, 29% trades• Recruitment difficult, retention is Recruitment difficult, retention is

fine fine

Housing Market Housing Market (in thousands)(in thousands)

Type of HouseType of House 20012001 20062006

Detached bungalowDetached bungalow 5151 8888

Detached Split LevelDetached Split Level 6666 8888

Detached 2 StoreyDetached 2 Storey 5757 8383

1 ½ Storey1 ½ Storey 4040 7676

Semi. Det. BungalowSemi. Det. Bungalow 4141 6060

Semi 2 StoreySemi 2 Storey 2828 5151

Semi Split LevelSemi Split Level 3838 7171

Freehold TownhouseFreehold Townhouse 2929 4343

Condo TownhouseCondo Townhouse 2222 4040source: Elliot Lake and District Chamber of Commerce

Blind River BR+E - Blind River BR+E - Business StatusBusiness Status

• 20 business looking to expand20 business looking to expand• Most mention access to capital Most mention access to capital

rather than labour issuesrather than labour issues• 40.5% of those looking to expand 40.5% of those looking to expand

list skilled labour as issuelist skilled labour as issue• Most see workforce development Most see workforce development

as important (85%)as important (85%)• More linked to developing More linked to developing

existing workforce existing workforce

Update since Nov. Update since Nov. 2006 2006

Process and Progress:Process and Progress:• Retail study implementationRetail study implementation• Leadership Team review of Task Leadership Team review of Task Force Priorities (Feb and March) Force Priorities (Feb and March) • City Hall restructuring and City Hall restructuring and planning (staff planning (staff andand Council) Council) • Leadership Team consensus on Leadership Team consensus on priorities priorities

Priorities Priorities

    Categorized all Suggestions by Task Categorized all Suggestions by Task Force: Force:

1) 1) Priority Areas: implementation Priority Areas: implementation ASAP by ASAP by

partners partners

2) Municipal: traditional municipal 2) Municipal: traditional municipal role role

3) Longer Term or Need 3) Longer Term or Need Community Input: Community Input:

Issues / projects that need Issues / projects that need further input and further input and

will therefore take longer. will therefore take longer.

Priorities Priorities     1) Retail Leakage Study1) Retail Leakage Study

2) Business Improvement Area / 2) Business Improvement Area / Community BeautificationCommunity Beautification

3) Reverse Community 3) Reverse Community Adjustment Centre (aka Labour Adjustment Centre (aka Labour and Training Strategy) and Training Strategy)

4) Investment Readiness and 4) Investment Readiness and Economic Development Planning Economic Development Planning (i.e. one stop shop)(i.e. one stop shop)

5) Improving and Formalizing 5) Improving and Formalizing Networking and Communication Networking and Communication

Retail Leakage Retail Leakage • 300 phone surveys across all 300 phone surveys across all demographic demographic

groups groups • Data entry done Data entry done • All data is public = community All data is public = community project project

• data available online by May 30data available online by May 30thth

• public meeting to reveal results public meeting to reveal results • Available for all businesses to use Available for all businesses to use for their own for their own

needs and/or for recruitment needs and/or for recruitment efforts efforts

Business Improvement Business Improvement Area / Community Area / Community

BeautificationBeautification • BIA working group needed to seek BIA working group needed to seek input and start reviewing process, input and start reviewing process, willingness etc willingness etc

• General beautification efforts ad hoc General beautification efforts ad hoc (i.e. boardwalks, boat launches, (i.e. boardwalks, boat launches, signage etc)signage etc)

Reverse Adjustment Reverse Adjustment Centre / Labour and Centre / Labour and

TrainingTraining • Working group needed to Working group needed to determine scale determine scale

and nature of immediate and nature of immediate problemproblem• Help employers talk to trainers Help employers talk to trainers • Help employers talk to Help employers talk to economic economic

development stakeholders development stakeholders • Quantify Supply and Demand Quantify Supply and Demand pressures pressures

Investment Readiness / Investment Readiness / Planning Planning

• One stop shop for economic One stop shop for economic development issues development issues

(both local support and outside (both local support and outside inquiries) inquiries) • Investment readiness (some Investment readiness (some progress made, progress made,

more to come...)more to come...)• Municipal strategic planning - Municipal strategic planning - public input public input • New resources New resources

Networking / Networking / CommunicationCommunication

• Keep talking...BIA, labour etc Keep talking...BIA, labour etc • Chamber of Commerce meetings Chamber of Commerce meetings • Ideas? Ideas?

What Next ?What Next ?• Release retail study results Release retail study results • Report to City Council, CFDC, ELNOS Report to City Council, CFDC, ELNOS and and

Chamber Boards Chamber Boards • Assemble working groups Assemble working groups (find (find leaders/volunteers)leaders/volunteers) • Identify resources to support process... Identify resources to support process...

  

Questions ?Questions ?