Plenty of interest in Northern and Rural Immigration Project locally

The Rural and Northern Immigration pilot program was scheduled to start on the first day of the year, but that hasn’t happened yet.

President and CEO of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce Peter Chirico says there’s been a delay in the official signing of the memorandum of understanding with the feds.

“It’s timing more than anything. I think the election has a lot to do with it,” he says.

Chirico says there’s been plenty of interest with over 2,000 people registered from around the world looking to immigrate to North Bay and area.

He says successful applicants will fill the areas of the economy that have labour shortages.

They’re looking at putting 100 in jobs that have labour shortages in the first year of the project.

“Folllowed by 250 each year. And that is strictly the employee and not the family members as well,” Chirico says.

He says it’s a five year project.

North Bay is one of 11 communities that is hosting a pilot.

(File photo by station staff)