Press Release
Rendez-vous métropolitain pour l’emploi: the business community rallies
Montréal, October 28, 2011 – Some 300 of the Montréal region’s socioeconomic stakeholders gathered today to find solutions to meet the growing need for labour. “The Board of Trade is proud to be key to the mobilization of businesses around this critical issue for our city’s economic future,” stated Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
“The Board of Trade has long called for immediate and concrete action to accelerate the professional integration of immigrants and to better align training and employment. In addition to our training activities and our French in the Workplace program, we also offer the Interconnection program aimed at qualified immigrant workers. However, we must go much further. Today’s event demonstrates a real willingness, both on the part of the Government of Quebec and the metropolitan business community, to collaborate on developing strategies to optimize our human capital,” added Michel Leblanc.
The Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, Ms. Julie Boulet, took the opportunity to unveil the Conseil emploi métropole’s strategy for the professional integration of immigrants. She also announced a two million dollar investment to improve our city’s performance in terms of employment integration for new arrivals. “In the context of a still uncertain global economy and the prospect of a relatively tight supply in our pool of potential labour, we enthusiastically welcome the measures announced by Minister Boulet, especially those that aim to increasingly attract talent, and to improve the recognition and appreciation of immigrant skills in the Montréal region. Minister Boulet was joined by the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities, Ms. Kathleen Weil, demonstrating the government’s serious stance on this major issue,” continued Michel Leblanc.
“The Rendez-vous, an initiative of the Conseil emploi métropole, focused on two key issues for the city’s job market. Remember that the Conseil is the Government of Quebec’s first response to the recommendations made in the Côté-Séguin report produced by the Board of Trade to improve the city’s issues of governance and taxation. It finally allows for the issue of labour to be addressed in a metropolitan perspective. We ask that the Government of Quebec rapidly extend this metropolitan approach to other departments active on city territory,” concluded Michel Leblanc.
The Interconnection Program, carried out through a partnership with Emploi-Québec, aims to create invaluable contacts between Montréal businesses and qualified new arrivals.
(http://www.btmm.qc.ca/en/boardoftrade-Getting_involved-Interconnection)
The French in the Workplace Program offers free French courses in the workplace, adapted to specific sectors of activity and to the needs of participating companies.
(http://www.btmm.qc.ca/en/boardoftrade-Getting_involved-French_at_work)
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Geneviève Marsan
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal
Phone: 514-871-4000, extension 4015
gmarsan@ccmm.qc.ca