The Ontario government says the transition of the blue box program is still on track.
It was one of the issues raised during a second provincial cabinet minister’s forum held Tuesday during the virtual Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference.
The blue box program is supposed to be turned into a producer-run program starting in 2023.
Some municipal leaders have heard of delays in making that happen.
The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, David Piccini, says the talks continue.
“I’ve been working closely with producers with RPRA (Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority), the agency responsible and the producer-responsible organizations that have come forward. We’re having very productive dialogue,” says Piccini.
Fort Frances, Emo and Atikokan are among northwestern Ontario communities to see their recycling programs transitioned starting in October 2023.
The worker shortage was also raised.
The province says pieces are being put in place to address the problem.
An estimated 320 thousand jobs are available in the skilled trades alone.
Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli says job training and expanded college programs will help.
“One by one, sector by sector, we’re jumping in and making sure that we are continuing the skilled training and the specialized training that’s needed to fill those jobs,” says Fedeli.
Fedeli notes Ontario has already seen an increase of 35-thousand jobs in the manufacturing sector that wasn’t there before the pandemic.
Ontario’s smaller and rural communities are also looking for help in keeping banks in their communities.
Atikokan was among communities in 2017 to lose its CIBC branch.
Fedeli says reduced costs are making it easier for all businesses to establish in smaller parts of the province again.
“We’re making it easier for them. We’re making it more accessible for them. We’re lowering the cost of their taxes. We’re lowering the cost of their energy, and we’re doing everything we can to entice them to come back to our community,” says Fedeli.
Fedeli says the high cost to do business was one of the reasons why many firms uprooted in the first place.
