Wonder why????

Algoma Steel Inc. has said it may require up to 1,000 jobs over the next three years.  Tradesmen are in short supply and continue to be so as older workers retire and newer companies like AD Aero who has established here have also indicated they are in growth mode.

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https://www.saultstar.com/news/local-news/expert-predicts-population-growth-of-almost-10k-by-2036

Expert predicts population growth of almost 10K by 2036

Elaine Della-Mattia
More from Elaine Della-Mattia

Published on: January 25, 2019 | Last Updated: January 25, 2019 7:13 PM EST

An expert with more than four decades of experience assessing economic and demographic potential across Canada and the United States says Sault Ste. Marie will grow in the years to come.

Tom McCormick, a senior forecasting specialist, will tell city council Monday that by 2036 the city’s population will increase by about 9,900 people and that will require 4,000 new dwelling units.

Based on the study, more than 262 acres of land will be needed to accommodate more residential structures, 848 acres for industrial land and a further 183 acres of commercial land in order to accommodate the anticipated growth.

The study was completed to form a basis of the Land Use Focus Area of the city’s Official Plan, currently underway.

The results allow the planning department to further analyse future land needs and identify future growth areas for the city for the Official Plan.

McCormick’s report to council, called City of Sault Ste. Marie, Land Needs Analysis Final Report, concludes that the while the city saw a decline in its economic base employment between 2001 and 2016, especially in the manufacturing industry, jobs will increase from 8,265 noted in the 2016 Census to 9,055 in 2036.

However, while the manufacturing industry may see further declines, those declines will be offset by gains in health and social services, tourism and to a lesser extent, government, the report states.

McCormick also confirms that the city’s baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1966, are aging and preparing for retirement. While most will remain in Sault Ste. Marie, they will require social services, keeping the service base jobs static.

“The baby boom retirement phenomenon will have a significant impact on population growth throughout Canada and in all of its communities including Sault Ste. Marie through to 2036,” the report reads. “The result is that the city’s population will grow over the next two decades even though the city’s economic base employment total will not reach its previous peak level between now and 2036.”

Projections suggest the city’s population will rise to 83,300 by 2036 with the majority of increases coming in the 30-54 year old age group and seniors above the age of 65.

The population growth can also help planners identify future housing needs.

It’s estimated that about 2,600 new single-detached units will be needed and a combination of 900 low and high-rise apartments.

The study further analyzed average incomes and expenditures and trends in retail to determine what, if anything needed to be considered by the city’s planners for the expected future growth.

The retail sector will also see a growth in sales during the period and that existing vacant retail space will be filled in the coming years and more land will be needed for the sector.

Institutionally and from a major employment perspective, there is enough land to accommodate the projected growth up to 2036, the report states.

Mayor Christian Provenzano said the report, while at first may appear surprising to some, makes sense when the data is analyzed.

“People with expertise in population know what data they are looking at and they know what percentage of people will stay here when they retire,” Provenzano said.

When birth and death rates, employment data and retirement rates are factored in along with the number of jobs that employers say will open up, professionals are able to accurately determine what a community’s needs are.

Algoma Steel Inc. has said it may require up to 1,000 jobs over the next three years.  Tradesmen are in short supply and continue to be so as older workers retire and newer companies like AD Aero who has established here have also indicated they are in growth mode.

Provenzano said that when an employee migrates to Sault Ste. Marie, that person often bring with them spouses and children, thus adding to the population base.

“There is a significant amount of employment opportunities opening up in front of us and we know, objectively that we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the province of Ontario and in the country,” Provenzano said.  “As jobs open up, we need those jobs filled and those who come to fill those jobs, bring others. It’s rarely that just the one person filling the job will come.”

But people won’t just come to Sault Ste. Marie on their own.

The city has a role to play to ensure that Sault Ste. Marie has all the attributes of a livable city with good quality of life aspects where people want to migrate to, Provenzano said.

“Over the past four years we’ve done what we have needed to do to put ourselves in this position,” Provenzano said.

The second term mayor said staff have been working on labour force numbers, working with employers and lobbying for an immigration pilot program, announced Thursday.

The immigration pilot project application must show that the community has jobs available.

“We are in a better position to do that now than most other communities because of the work we’ve done over the past four years,” Provenzano said.

He believes that by continuing to invest in the community and focus on community development and quality of life, Sault Ste. Marie will be that place where migrants want to live and the city’s population will increase.

“This report is objective. It was completed by a third party and gives us the information that we are on the right path and doing the right thing,” he said.

The city’s development of a new Official Plan for Sault Ste. Marie will guide the city’s land use planning, development and public infrastructure over the next 20 years. It’s a massive two-year undertaking that involves extensive community consultation being held under the Shape the Sault banner.