Pandemic 'radically altered the business landscape': what does Newmarket need to prosper?

#LabourPains: Housing options, transit, addressing shortage of skilled labour on the list

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 8, 2021
Lisa Queen

The pandemic has both changed the labour market and highlighted long-standing concerns.

So, what are the most pressing concerns and are there solutions?

For Newmarket Chamber of Commerce president, Chris Emanuel, the top concern is the labour shortage.

For Mayor John Taylor, the most pressing need is expanding housing and commuting options.

Scarcity of workers is the most critical issue in today’s job market, Emanuel said.

“There are so many factors involved in this. Some employers are able to adapt to a more remote workforce but others don’t have that luxury. Which now makes the cost of housing a major issue in York Region. Some of the employees simply cannot afford to live here and it will exacerbate the labour market challenges,” he said.

“There are solutions. But it involves government at all levels, business, and economic policy-makers all pulling the right levers at the right time. We need the outcomes of ‘the great resignation’ to stabilize, incentives for employers to hire new people, more efficient recognition of foreign credentials, a cooling of the housing/rental marketplace, and inflation to settle down to more appropriate levels.”

Taylor echoes Emanuel’s concerns about housing.

“Having a full range of housing options in Newmarket provides a place to live for people working in all sectors of the economy, including the service sector, manufacturing, professionals, entrepreneurs and executives,” he said.

“We're building a range of housing options that include single-family homes, condos, purpose-built rental buildings, live-work units, and stacked townhouses, as well as geared to income and market-value affordable housing. We can’t support a diverse labour market unless we have diverse housing options.”

With affordability top of mind, Taylor said council strives to keep taxes lower than comparable municipalities while continuing to invest in amenities that make Newmarket a desirable place to attract and retain businesses, as well as workers looking to live, work and raise a family here.

Those include the Magna Centre, 800 acres of parkland, 40 kilometres of paths and trails, Riverwalk Commons and the future Mulock Park.

Transit is another priority for supporting Newmarket’s labour market, Taylor said.

“We know that we must support a growing labour force with the recently completed Viva rapid transit lanes on Davis Drive and Yonge Street and with the future GO Train service expansion to two-way all-day service,” he said.

“Planning is well underway to extend the subway further into York Region and improve connections to York Region transit system.”

In its 2021 Workforce Trends in York Region, non-profit Workforce Planning Board of York Region painted a picture of challenges and opportunities for the region’s labour market.

The pandemic has “radically altered the business landscape,” it said.

With the region dominated by small and medium-sized businesses, which make up 99 per cent of companies, the pandemic has taken a significant toll on businesses but could also result in future market possibilities.

The potential for more work to be executed from home could have significant consequences for York Region, which is home to a large proportion of workers in professional occupations, the report said.

“As a large portion of these jobs would normally commute daily outside the Region, primarily to Toronto, there is a greater potential for some of these functions to now be performed from a home base,” it said.

“This could result in an increase in demand for local services.”

There needs to be a focus on the shortage of skilled trades in York Region as well as improving job opportunities for youth and immigrants, the report said.

John Stackhouse, a senior vice-president with Royal Bank, says the pandemic will transform the economy.

That includes blended models of home-offices, requiring employers to invest in tools and technologies to retain talent and enhance productivity, mass acceptance of online shopping, continued challenges for brick-and-mortar businesses such as shopping malls, the need for the arts and culture sector to provide more virtual experiences, strong growth in recreational products and growth in staycations.