Mon, June 19, 2006
London leads Ontario in the number of immigrants deciding to stay here.
By NORMAN DE BONO, FREE PRESS BUSINESS REPORTER
London is holding on to more immigrants than ever before -- and leading the province in the number of new Canadians staying here.
The numbers are a sure sign that they're finding jobs here. It also translates to a larger pool of employees to attract potential new businesses, John Kime, chief executive of the London Economic Development Corp. (LEDC), said yesterday.
Figures from Citizenship and Immigration Canada show the number of new arrivals moving to and staying in London jumped 38 per cent in 2005 over 2004. That's the highest total in Ontario and fourth-highest in the country.
"This is very exciting news for the city," Kime said.
"Some people think this is a conservative town, but this shows we are breaking the mould."
London's primary immigration numbers grew to 3,213 in 2005, from 2,328 in 2004.
New Canadians generally move to where there is work and London recently has posted a significant drop in unemployment, said Jeny Wallace, director of workforce development for the LEDC.
"People will come here for employment and they are being employed. This is very good news for London. We are doing very well."
The growth is not a case of refugees and immigrants arriving here looking for work, but in many cases businesses, the university and hospitals are bringing workers here, added Wallace.
"I think we are seeing a lot of workers being brought into London . . . a lot of people (are) being imported here for their talent," she said.
Across Canada, only Saint John and Fredericton, N.B., with growth of 60 per cent, and Abbotsford, B.C., with a 40 per cent jump, were higher.
The immigrant population is an important part of the city's future workforce, as business and industry face a looming labour shortage, added Kime.
"It's an important part of our future that we access these people to meet industrial demands," he said.
"This is a sign people are choosing London as the place to be. This shows we are a welcoming community and people are finding opportunity here."
London's unemployment rate stands at 5.5 per cent, down from 6.1 per cent in April. Total employment in London has hit 248,100.
The spike in London employment -- up 3,600 jobs -- came as more people looked for work, there were more jobs available, and more people found jobs, according to Service Canada figures.
The immigration numbers are welcome news to LEDC, which had been warning of an impending labour shortage, citing London's aging workforce and past failure to attract and retain young workers or immigrants.
Indeed, statistics show London's population grew only 10.4 per cent between 1993 and 2003. That's lower than most urban centres, including Toronto (25 per cent), Kitchener (21.4 per cent), Windsor (19.94 per cent) and Hamilton (13.8 per cent).
In that same period, the number of Londoners ages 45 and up grew by 42.5 per cent, more than most major cities in the area.
According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada figures, immigrants are predicted to account for all net labour force growth in the next five to 10 years.
London has more than 90 ethnocultural groups, added Wallace.