Similar Sarnia-Lambton bus tours working with the Newcomer Centre of Peel have happened before, and they’ve been effective, Meloche said. “Oftentimes (participants are) blown away by the green space, parks we have to offer, short commutes, and all the things we enjoy about living here,” she said. Recruitment, retention, and staffing hard-to-fill positions have been persistent struggles for Sarnia-Lambton businesses. In the 2024-2025 EmployerOne survey, through the Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board, about half of the 323 participating businesses reported hard-to-fill positions. Sectors with struggles
include public administration, educational services, construction, and healthcare and social assistance, according to the survey results. Lack of applicants, and applicants with insufficient qualifications were the top cited reasons. A $3,750 grant through Community Futures Lambton is helping pay for Wednesday’s event, Meloche said, adding the economic partnership is grateful. The tour also connects to an ongoing Sarnia-Lambton Newcomer Hub initiative through the economic partnership. The hub provides workshops helping newcomers connect to the community and employers, and is operating until March 2028 with funding
from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “It connects to our bigger picture,” Meloche said about the tour. “We are super excited to welcome really highly skilled talent to our community.”
Sarnia-Lambton, bus tour, prospective residents, newcomer hub, Community Futures Lambton, EmployerOne survey, Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board, hard-to-fill positions, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
So is this like a free bus ride or what?
Honestly sounds nice, but $3,750 grant for a bus tour feels kinda small. If they’re really struggling to hire, shouldn’t they be fixing wages first?
Wait so the bus tour is for “new residents” but it’s also about workforce staffing? I don’t get it. Like are they bringing people from other places for construction and healthcare? Or is it just showing parks and then hoping someone applies lol.
EmployerOne survey says half the businesses can’t find people… and then they do tours through Sarnia-Lambton? That seems backwards, like you’d need to advertise jobs better or something. Also “operating until March 2028” is a weirdly specific timeline, so I’m wondering if this is just a pilot that’ll quietly disappear. Not trying to be negative, just feels like paperwork disguised as help.