Prosperity and Growth Strategy for Northern Ontario

A plan for economic development, inclusiveness and success

Between 2006 and 2016, the population of Northern Ontario fell 3.8 percent, from 843,845 to 811,000
Home to 105 of Ontario's 127 Indigenous communities, including 31 remote reserves of which 25 are diesel dependent. Positive natural growth is only occurring within the Indigenous population
The population in Ontario's Francophone areas is expected to decline between 2011 and 2036
The number of people leaving the region exceeds the number of individuals coming into the region

Many small and single-industry dependent communities have limited services and infrastructure to attract new business investment
Many rural and remote areas lag in terms of access to broadband and some lack broadband altogether

Current labour shortages and growing labour demand projections make workforce shortages one of the biggest challenges over the next three to five years
Virtually all Northern Ontario businesses are small and medium-sized, employing less than 500 workers, most of them have been historically dependant on primary sectors such as forestry and mining
Less than three percent of Northern Ontario small and medium sized enterprises ( SMEs ) are exporters
The employment rate is below the provincial average

Businesses in small, rural and remote communities are isolated from the larger clusters and professional networks limiting their decision-making capacity, their access to corporate investments and their overall competitiveness
Northern Ontario SMEs exhibit less business innovation activity (37%) compared to the rest of Canada (42%)
Energy, transportation and financing costs are higher in Northern Ontario than the rest of the province