An industry survey by the Economic Development Office confirms it: the County faces a lack of skilled trades and general labourers. 

That shortage could derail developers’ plans to build nearly 8,000 homes over the next decade.

Council passed a handful of exploratory motions last month aimed at addressing the issue, including one to consider temporary housing for skilled trades and workers at active construction sites. 

Another concerns partner groups to train and develop local workforces.

Improving Council’s Planning and Development Committee policies and procedures, taking an inventory of vacant and underused employment lands, and updating the secondary plans for Picton, Wellington and Rossmore are also on the agenda. 

Firm motions will come later this year and early in the next (see sidebar).

A total of 22 builders took part in an hour-long Skilled Trades & Construction Business Retention + Expansion Survey with Economic Development Officer Karen Palmer.

The survey explored the County as a place to do business; availability and suitability of workers; supports to help businesses develop or diversify; targeted community development to help with workforce attraction and retention; and future plans.

The municipality wants to help developers and businesses to new opportunities. It plans to inventory vacant or under-used public and private lands zoned for industrial, manufacturing or employment use, and, when possible, promote those 
properties on the Doing Business section of the website.
County CAO Marcia Wallace said the service would connect business owners with commercial and industrial-zoned lands, sites and buildings they might not know about.
“We could play a better role in promotion. There is industrial land: it just might not be top of mind because it’s not in the
 industrial park in Picton.”
An old cannery or factory sitting fallow are among the opportunities out there.
 “If we can make these connections, we could start sparking new business.” 
Council will engage a qualified specialist to gauge future employment land needs and determine commercial development guidelines in Picton, Wellington and Rossmore. 
That work will be completed in time for the secondary plan revisions in all three areas over the next 18 months.

“Economic Development is about creating the conditions for success and making things easier,” Ms. Palmer said. “These are the houses we need to grow the economy, the tax base. How can we make this happen? Temporary housing may remove a barrier.”

Workforce challenges were the most common complaint among those surveyed. Some labourers are looking for work from local developers here, as high interest rates have cooled housing demand elsewhere. Nonetheless, concrete specialists, framers, drywallers, landscape masons and finishing carpenters are in great demand. 

Ms. Palmer noted, “many respondents said they would hire general labourers, if they could find them.”

“Several housing developers noted that they will not be able to complete their projects without relying on labour from around the wider region and the Greater Toronto Area.”

Mayor Steve Ferguson wondered about skilled labour development and apprenticeship possibilities. Ms. Palmer noted the recommendations before Council could lay the groundwork with partner agencies to train local workers.

“There are some things here that our partners will be able to start working on. Prince Edward Learning Centre with its Inspire program is an example. The Community Benefits Agreement program that PELC and Thrive are working on might help figure out training needs and build a pipeline for a workforce,” said Ms. Palmer.

Councillor Phil St-Jean noted he took part in the survey as contractor. “There is an extreme shortage of skilled labour everywhere, not just here,” he said, adding that construction is the County’s third largest industry. 

 “It’s one that pays the best.”

“This is a hugely important task. We need to foster and encourage an environment that builds on the things we do well, but fill in the gaps where we are lacking. We need to help businesses grow and that’s what retention and expansion is about.”