TORONTO — Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement on today’s monthly employment release by Statistics Canada, which showed Ontario added 26,100 jobs last month, including 11,400 jobs in the construction sector and 7,100 jobs in the manufacturing sector.
“As Ontario, like the rest of the world, continues to face economic uncertainty due to high interest rates and global instability, our government is building a more resilient economy that can weather any storm.
Last month, we released our 2024 Budget: Building a Better Ontario. The Budget outlines our government’s plan to rebuild Ontario’s economy without raising taxes. As part of our plan, we’re creating the conditions to attract new investments and better jobs with bigger paycheques in every region of the province. This includes our government’s $140 million Regional Development Program (RDP) that provides targeted financial and advisory supports for small and medium-sized businesses.
“With growing uncertainty around the world, Ontario has a plan to grow the economy and get more people in our community and province working,” said Stephen Lecce, MPP for King-Vaughan. “Ontario is leading the nation in job creation, with over 26,000 more women and men working today. Unlike the Liberals who want to ‘transition away from manufacturing’ and impose higher taxes on workers and businesses, under Premier Ford, we have created conditions for over 700,000 new jobs. We will keep reducing taxes and invest in King and Vaughan, including by extending the fuel and gas tax reduction by 10 cents a litre."
To date, over 110 projects across Ontario have received support through the RDP, leveraging more than $1.5 billion in new investments that have created over 2,800 good-paying jobs. Last month, we welcomed a $32 million investment by EcoPoly Properties Inc., that will create 85 new jobs as the company enhances its existing production facility in Orillia.
As our population grows, we will continue working hard to create more good-paying jobs, strengthen Ontario’s supply chains, and support long-term economic resilience across the province.