Andrea Horwath Says Ontario is Full of Opportunities but Only if We Invest in Opportunities

(Toronto – October 26, 2018) –  Leader of the Official Opposition, Andrea Horwath stressed the importance of investing in post-secondary education and vocational training in her comments to journalists at the annual Ontario Economic Summit, being presented by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The NDP leader also noted that there needs to be consultations and discussions by all sides to address the issues facing Ontario’s workers. “The OCC and local chambers of commerce are vital partners in building Ontario’s prosperity. We share a commitment to protect what’s already working in Ontario, and to fix what isn’t. We also share an understanding of the challenges Ontario faces. And let’s not sugar coat it – these are uncertain times.”

The summit culminates today with remarks by Ontario Premier Doug Ford. It will be preceded by a fireside chat between Kelly Craft, U.S. Ambassador to Canada and David MacNaughton, Ambassador of Canada to the United States, who will discuss bilateral trade and economic relations.

The Ontario Economic Summit brings together thought leaders from government, business, academia, and the not-for-profit sector to discuss how Ontario can overcome emerging workforce issues including artificial intelligence, automation, and competition. This year’s summit is entitled “The Workforce of Tomorrow: Confronting Disruption as Ontario Transitions to a Learning-Based Economy.”

“We are bringing together leaders from different industries, backgrounds and experiences so that an exchange of ideas can happen and we can begin to generate solutions to some of the issues facing our economy. 77% of Ontario businesses saying that access to talent is critical to their competitiveness, so it is important we develop ways to ensure our workers are better skilled for new and emerging technologies,” explains Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “The future of the Ontario workforce will be vital to whether our province and our country can compete and excel globally.”

The summit gives delegates the opportunity to hear about the priorities and policies of the new provincial government as well as get insights into U.S.-Canada relations. Key Ontario Cabinet Ministers will also hold in-camera roundtables with Ontario’s business leaders.

The latest agenda can be found on the Summit website.

  -30-

For more information:

Ceara Copps – Edwards, Communications Advisor, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca

647-243-3562