Queen’s Park, May 2, 2018 – “I rise today to highlight the great work that is being done in my community by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, southwestern Ontario board.
On May 9, the organization will hold its 23rd annual London Manufacturers’ Recognition and Scholarship Awards night, an event that brings together over 200 manufacturers and professionals to network and celebrate local industry achievements. Most importantly, the awards night provides eight promising Western, Fanshawe and secondary school students, who are enrolled in manufacturing-related programs, with $2,000 scholarships.
Despite the loss of 300,000 manufacturing jobs in Ontario over the last 10 years, manufacturing remains a key sector for London’s local economy and for the southwestern region as a whole. Events like the CME awards night are critical in the face of an economy that has seen almost all job growth concentrated in the GTA and Ottawa over the last decade, leaving the rest of the province far behind.
A recent analysis of labour force survey data shows that between 2008 and 2018, under this Liberal government, 94% of all new jobs were created in the GTA or Ottawa, with only 6% growth in the rest of Ontario.
There is no question that London’s economic prosperity remains closely linked to the health of our manufacturing sector. With the efforts of the CME, we are helping London manufacturers to develop the talent necessary to innovate, connect and grow their business.”