The economy of the North Shore depends on immigration, supports the business community

The North Shore is particularly affected by the lack of foreign workers, according to chambers of commerce in the region. For her part, a restaurateur in Havre-Saint-Pierre is worried about the future of the Minganie businesses.

In its consultation book, the Quebec government offers to accommodate 45,000 permanent workers per year by 2029.

The president of the Port-Cartier Chamber of Commerce, Asmaa Essalhi, says that this number is insufficient. It does not reflect reality in terms of market-and-traveler needs on the North Shoreshe believes.

It is concerned that the economic growth of the region is affected.

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce du Québec (FCCQ), of which the Port-Cartier Chamber of Commerce is a part, is of the same opinion. The grouping asks the provincial government to welcome 1,06,000 new immigrant workers annually for the next four years.

The FCCQ argues that this would counter retirements and the exodus. These two issues particularly affect the North Shore, according to Asmaa Essalhi.

The president of the Port-Cartier Chamber of Commerce notes that the North Shore suffers from a significant lack of workforce and that it is difficult to attract new arrivals. The region is even more affected by this measureshe believes.

Concretely, there are companies that will have to make very difficult choices and some will have to close their doorssays the director of media relations of the FCCQMathieu Lavigne, who argues that the situation will be worse in regions which are already suffering from a large number of vacant posts, such as the North Shore.

A restaurateur worries

The co-owner of the restaurant La Promenade in Havre-Saint-Pierre, Monia Petitpas, indicates that for three years, it depends on the support of foreign workers due to a lack of labor in Minganie.

If I don’t have my foreign workers, I have to put the key under the door.

She notices that the problem has lost over the years. We need support for the workforce, but there is noneshe says.

Since she has used new arrivals, she has noted that her business is much more stable than before. After sept-Îles to Kegaska, I am the only restaurant open year-roundshe notes.

However, there are still some challenges to take up: pay permits, pay lawyers and pay travel, all expenses that trade must make to keep foreign employment workers, according to the co -owner.

Each employee we hire costs me on average between $ 5,000 and $ 6,000she explains.

She adds that the new federal restrictions linked to temporary workers complicate the situation. I was forced to renew one lately, I must pay my employee at an exorbitant salary to be able to redo his licenseNote Monia Petitpas.

She notes that Minganie services and businesses suffer due to a lack of employees, which could be filled with the help of foreign workers.

The co-owner recalls that the reality of large centers is not the same as in the North Shore and it asks governments to adapt immigration according to the needs of the regions.

With information from Lucas Sanniti