Ontario being hit the hardest

Canada Immigration Forum (discussion group)


 
       
Subject: Ontario being hit the hardest
  If you are landing in the next 6-12 months you may want to factor the following information into your choice settlement location:
(this also gives some context to the political chaos that is going on)

CBC News online
The big job loss in November was virtually all in Ontario, Statistics Canada reported Friday in releasing numbers showing the national unemployment rate edged up slightly to 6.3 per cent from 6.2 per cent in October.

Of the total of 70,600 jobs lost during the month, 66,000 were in Ontario, the agency said. Nova Scotia was the only other province that reported a drop in November. In every other province, the employment picture was stable or brightened.

"The manufacturing sector was hard hit in November," Statistics Canada said, indicating the sector lost 38,000 jobs; Ontario manufacturing lost 42,000, but gains elsewhere reduced the national drop.

In Ontario, full-time workers and men 25 and over were most affected. The provincial unemployment rate jumped to 7.1 per cent in November from 6.5 per cent in October.

Ontario´s rate is now on par with Quebec´s. All provinces east of Quebec have higher rates, while all the provinces west of Ontario have a rate under five per cent.


[05-12-2008,15:00]
[***.20.116.15]
Sharon
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
For the first time ever! You forgot that Sharon!!!!

BC and Alberta is not the place to go head to the flat land Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan will have an increase in their GDP unlike the rest of the country.

Boy what these western people will stoop to toot their own horns for once.

With the auto Industry being based in Ontario and such a huge employer with Ford, GM and Chrysler building cars no one wants what do you expect Sharon! Who wants a SUV with gas prices last summer being at a $140 per liter? I wonder how many Hummers sold last summer.

So Windsor, Oshawa and Oakville have an employment problem, soooooo does Michigan. Now Magna International that supplies auto parts to the so called big three as well Toyota and Honda plants in Ontario scaled back too.

The one thing you failed to mention is your buddy Stephan Harper has done nothing to help the auto industry nor Ontario´s manufacturing base and now can do nothing to save these Ontario jobs. All he has done and some western have done is feel happy about destroying the future of Ontario families.

I guess all Canadian´s should go back to being Lumber Jacks, Fishermen, Farmers and Fur Traders? That way the west can take the lead for good.

Too many Conservative supporters are trying to tear this country in two. Quebec lost a lot of car jobs when Pontiac which is built in Quebec laid off their workers.

How can manufacturing loss of employment be a plus for this country.

West being happy about the misfortunes of the East - SHAME!

Roy
www.cvimmigration.com


[05-12-2008,18:23]
[**.26.54.239]
Roy
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
Roy, I am a little surprised and disappointed in your hostility. The purpose of my post was to give new Canadians fair warning that for now, employment is going to be tight in Ontario. period. end of statement. no political commentary made or required.

Under the Liberals during the last recession, the west was totally ignored - why... because Ontario was not in recession. therefore there was no need to stimulate the economy.

The Lumber industry has been in the tank in both BC and Quebec for the past 2 years. It has been ignored. Who should be blamed?

nobody is happy about people losing their jobs. You must admit - if the US does not assist the auto sector, all the Canadian money in the world will not save the industry. if you are still tooled and trained to build Camaro´s you are in the wrong business and deserve the opportunity to reinvent yourself. Idustries change with time - and sometimes that hurts.

I did not create the news or write the article. CBC did. not sure how that is tearing the country in 2 - it is simply stating a fact.


[05-12-2008,18:58]
[***.20.116.15]
Sharon
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
You guys are fun and interesting to watch in your east vs. west debates. But I wonder why should some Canadian provinces and cities be so dependent on U.S. auto manufacturing? I guess it´s a matter of the economic powerhouse next door decidinvg where its factories will be located. But it would be nice if Ontarrio could have more of an independent manufacturing base. Bombardier is an excellent example of true Canadian maniufacturing and technological prowess.

And looks like a lot less Canadian foreign travel based on the CDN$ today. Took quite a hit today. I´m doing some exchanging (after all these years of taking the hit when it was the other way).

[05-12-2008,20:35]
[***.132.11.77]
Richard
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
the east west battle/debate/jabbing has being going on since confederation. The west is generally considered the unenlightened, leftist, rightist, hicks of the country that do not have enough intelligence to know what is good for the country. Most of the time we know our place but every once in a while we get our knickers in a knot and fight back. We are not too popular when we do that.

We really have nothing to complain about... Alberta and BC have the combined populations of Quebec but have 15 less seats in the government. Minor detail. If there were equal representation there may have been a different election outcome. Minor detail.

Oh well, it is only the west that is complaining so its easily ignored - after all, we are just a bunch of hicks.


the irony about Bombardier is that the government has to subsidize them to remain competative.


[05-12-2008,21:10]
[***.20.116.15]
Sharon
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
Okay but this is personal.

My great Uncle was one of the first Chevrolet dealerships in Ontario when the Model T was (the car).

He came up with the idea to put a large trunk in the car instead of carrying items on the outside of the trunk. He was selling to Farmers and if a sack of grain would not fit in the trunk he could not sell his car to farmers.

He then became a designer for Chevy and years later a few of his coworkers and him designed the Chevelle and he was the one who recommended putting the 396 in it.

See many small car companies folded back then and then formed General Motors to compete against Henry Ford.

Sharon lets get the facts straight on poor little BC´s problems!

The Canada Free Trade agreement was introduced by a Conservative Brian Mulrooney. The US even loosing court case after court case still owes Canada "Billions" over the soft wood lumber issue that killed BC forestry issue. Now the Americans still have not paid the "BILLION" what is owed. Is that a Liberal problem or is this a mean spirited Bush thing who´s GW Daddy and Reagan both were in bed with Conservatives? Has not Brian Mulrooney been Stephan Harper´s most trusted advisor?

Just thought I would clear up a little History for Mr. Downey.

You hit a raw nerve on this one, Sharon.

Roy
www.cvimmigration.com

[06-12-2008,09:37]
[**.55.216.248]
Roy
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
my grandfather had a Ford dealership in Saskatchewan in the 30´s and a lumber business in BC until the laste 60´s. Walked away from the dealership when nobody could pay for their vehicles. We watched the last of the mill auctioned off about 2 years ago when the lumber deal with the US failed to get solutions and the federal government failed to get tough. Fortunately my family had already left the industry but all I have left of our family legacy is 2 -10" spikes from the green chain. The machinery went to China and the beams that were used to build the structures were virgin fir so I think they went into some fancy house in Whistler. The land will probably be used to build condos. The northern part of the province has lost entire towns where the lumber mills have closed. Houses worth nothing, 50 year old men who only knew one skill are out looking for a new job with no help beyond EI. You are right - it stinks.

Roy, raw nerves go two ways. Still no reason to be rude and condesending. We need to face the fact that our country is huge with a diverse economy. Atlantic Canada has been in the ditch for decades while Ontario has boomed. All of a sudden they have oil and the story is changing. The west was underpopulated and full of natural resources which did not have importance for decades. Canada gets governed holistically. Yes, they can help here and there but using one economy - be it the Maritimes, the West, Quebec or Ontario to generate a national economic policy is dangerous. We lived it out west in the 80´s. Interest rates were increased to slow things down in Ontario - only problem was it put us in the tank. Equalization payments are probably the best (as much as I hate them) way to even out the playing field. What each province does with them is another question. Solving regional economic pressures should probably fall to the provinces themselves.

The manufacturing sector of our economy is in trouble on more than one front. Unfortunately, the majority of it exists in one part of the country because of its proximity to the US market and the overall historic development of the country.

The auto manufacturer is not that different than the appliance manufacturer, the electronics manufacturer, the textile manufacturer or the furniture manufacturer - with one exception ... it is bigger, it is the most recent victim of globalization and change and it has a big brother in the US that is getting a lot of press.

The tragic thing is that Darwin is alive and well and nobody really wants to admit it. We want cheap goods - the Canadian and US work force cannot produce cheap goods. I was hearing that a US made car has $1,500 in medical benefits alone tied to each vehicle. We have a choice - pay more or live with the reality that we will continue to see a shrinking north american manufacturing sector.

So what should the government do? Would you invest millions of dollars into a company that produces VCR´s because the workers there don´t know how to do anything else? Since when are we guaranteed a job for life? I agree people need help with retraining but to prop up an industry that has not paid any attention to Darwin seems rather foolish. We could still be in the same predicament with the auto sector in 4 years only the money would have been spent and nothing was accomplished.

This thread started as an alert to prospective immigrants about the new challenges in the job market. CNN online this morning is showing an operations manager with a sandwich board sign in New York looking for work. He has become a dinosaur in his industry because all the operations type of work is going overseas.

I recall in one of the leaders debates the question being asked whether the manufacturing jobs would ever return to Ontario. Harper said - probably not. I was shocked at his risky but honest answer. I truly think he is right and all the government programs in the world will not change that fact.

I also highly doubt that we can single handedly change the course of economic history or the progress of Darwin. All we can do is start looking ahead to see where the next opportunity might be and help transition our economies to those new ways of generating incomes for our families.

my comment to prospective Canadians remains. Be very clear about job prospects and the state of the economy when you are selecting your destination. Information that you relied on when you applied for your PR no longer holds true.

[06-12-2008,15:05]
[***.20.116.15]
Sharon
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
Well to all potential immigrant who are coming... don´t worry coz all the jobs which a new immigrant gets is all low level. They would force you in menial jobs citing lack of English and if your English is great they would look for people without English skills as there´s not much of tertiary activity and the economy is hugely dependent on primary and secondary activity.
The jobs which are going are sadly above $15 hourly and due to churning happening, as the national economy is moving towards a service economy.
New immigrant do not be worried as this country is the second biggest country in the world and also lots of snow in the winter. If you are coming on a PR think about small business as there are lots of incentives from the government.Canada is a nice place to raise kids, even if you are a new immigrant the government supports kids by monthly funds.
Overall Canada has vastly prospered due to immigration by providing for services and settling communities.
Imagine if one fifth of Asian population migrates to Canada, all the service companies listed on TSX will become a billionaires club due to increase in their subscriber base.
think of the possibilities

[07-12-2008,22:49]
[**.243.247.247]
Anonymous
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
Also i wonder how do i make Sharon and Roy understand that the North American life is no more a farm and factory lifestyle but becoming more of a service life.
Its about jobs which would be sustainable for future generation. How many of you who are born on a farm types can live without city basics like sushi and air travel. Of all the posting i have followed here only two were linked with manufacturing like brick laying of one gentleman from Europe and one from UK, rest all are of people who would be in service economy or jobs which need soft skills.
And of people who reply to post and are part of service economy are complaining of job losses happening in an industry where people were making $1000 a week minimum(i have spoken to a gentleman who worked at a supplier of GM) and must have saved for their future life.


[07-12-2008,23:13]
[**.243.247.247]
Anonymous
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
In order to mitigate the harsh realities ahead, I would say give IMMIGRATION A REST for the foreseable future. Immigration without forethought is going to make life worse for the new immigrants and even harder for the Canadians. For the immigrants: do not raise your expectations as far as job scene goes; actually lower them to far below what you might be enjoying right now in your country. And bring truckloads of cash. The more cash you bring in, the better off you are. i would say sell everything you ever owned in your country, sell everything your parents may have owned and bring the money. Then you can enjoy life, at least for a period of time. When hardships hit, you can always find some meager job to work and just get by. Hopefully, this situation may improve by the end of 2010.
[08-12-2008,16:34]
[***.202.153.52]
give it a rest
(in reply to: Ontario being hit the hardest)
while that sounds harsh, I am almost feeling like I should agree but I will take it one step further -

pre February 2008 applications... if you do not fall within the 38 NOC codes - take that new information about what skills are in demand to heart. while the rules require CIC to approve your application if you qualify - it makes no comment about whether you will have an easy time finding employment.

I think 2010 is optimistic.

[08-12-2008,16:46]
[***.20.74.169]
Sharon