The CEDC kicks off a campaign to attract workers to northwestern Ontario.
A recent survey by Royal Lepage revealed that around half of those living in Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal would “consider buying a primary residence in one of Canada’s 15 most affordable cities, if they were able to find a job locally or work remotely.”
The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) aims to make Thunder Bay a top choice for these individuals.
In June, the CEDC launched a fresh campaign aimed at drawing tradespeople and professionals from across Canada who are looking for an improved and more budget-friendly lifestyle in Thunder Bay.
“Work Here” is a comprehensive initiative running from June through September, featuring social media promotions, a dedicated sub-website, and GO Transit s in southern Ontario that highlight what life is like in Thunder Bay.
“Those are the tipping points when they’re looking at different communities: the lifestyle that we offer,” Taylor said. “We’ve really been promoting that a great deal.”
Those factors accumulate quickly.
With daily commutes often exceeding two hours in major cities, the appeal of an average 10-minute drive to work in Thunder Bay is clear. Plus, just another 30 minutes can take you to your camp or cottage for weekend getaways and even evening retreats.
Thunder Bay also stands out among most cities for housing affordability as prices soar in Canada’s largest urban areas. According to Royal Lepage’s latest statistics, Thunder Bay ranks third nationally for overall home affordability. With a median home price of $329,900 that’s much more feasible for new buyers, you’ll find you can get significantly more space-both inside your home and outside on your property-for your money.
The Work Here initiative plays into these realities.
“Come for work. Stay for the lifestyle,” is one of the key messages featured on the Work Here website from CEDC.
Taylor hopes this message resonates with families who are starting out or navigating their careers and desire a different kind of affordable lifestyle than what big cities offer. This effort may also help fill numerous job vacancies throughout the city.
“The number one issue we hear from employers is finding labour,” Taylor said. “We’re always looking at ways to improve (the labour market in Thunder Bay).”
The CEDC assists newcomers by showcasing significant employers in Thunder Bay such as Lakehead University, Tbaytel, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre along with links directing them to respective job openings.
“We have our major employers listed so that it gives people a flavour of what our community offers, and then we have links to different job banks so they can look at what other employment there is in Thunder Bay.”
Website visitors can also access information about relocating, working, and living within Thunder Bay. There are videos featuring real community members sharing their experiences moving to Thunder Bay and their favorite aspects of living there.
Taylor mentioned that the CEDC is crafting a welcome guide specifically designed for families to help ease their transition-from getting involved with local activities to enrolling children in school.
Two distinct advertising campaigns will direct traffic towards this website.
“We’ve put more money behind it this year, and we’re doing more exploratory work,” Taylor said.
The first component involves digital ads launched across Canada during the initial month. As part of their exploratory efforts, they’ll evaluate which regions engage most with those social media ads before focusing on those areas during the last two months of this campaign.
The CEDC will track visitor interactions on various pages-how long they stay engaged-and which links they click on. Taylor noted they’ll follow up with businesses too regarding any noticeable changes in employment numbers directly tied back to these initiatives.
This organization will gauge how effective the Work Here campaign has been by comparing data against metrics from last year.
The second advertising approach utilizes GO Transit posters targeting commuters during rush hour-with scenic images showcasing Lake Superior alongside visuals emphasizing leisure time enjoyed in Thunder Bay.
“We want to target them as they’re taking their hour or two-hour ride home and really highlight what it would be like if you could be home in 10 minutes and be paddle boarding in 20 minutes. We all know this, but it’s a foreign concept to them.”
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