CME CONGRATULATES NEWLY APPOINTED CABINET MINISTERS

OTTAWA (November 20, 2019) – On behalf for Canada’s 90,000 manufacturers and the 1.7 million Canadians employed by the sector, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) congratulates all of Canada’s federal ministers for their appointment today. CME looks forward to working with the new cabinet and all the members of this new government on solving the labour shortage crisis and improving business conditions for manufacturers.

“CME was pleased to see the Honourable Navdeep Bains will remain the minister responsible for industry and that he will be able to continue the important work towards developing a Manufacturing Strategy initiated last term,” said Dennis Darby, President & CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters. “The strategy and recommendations developed by Minister Bains and the Standing Committee on Industry in the last government set-up priorities to encourage more youth to join the manufacturing sector and takes steps to encourage more investment to grow manufacturing, boost Canada’s middle class and to drive prosperity for all Canadians.”

“Specifically, CME will focus on asking for the  implementation of a youth engagement and skills training strategy for attracting 150,000 youth in manufacturing jobs over the next 5 years,” added Darby. “Labour & skill shortages in the manufacturing sector are alarming and must be solved urgently. They are holding back the entire sector and, by extension, Canada’s economic growth. Immigration can also be leverage as a solution to this crisis.”

In a recent report, CME revealed that 85% of manufacturers struggle to find the workers they need leading to losses in productivity, reduced investment in new technologies, delayed plans to grow and sometimes turned down contracts.

ABOUT CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS

Since 1871, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters has been helping manufacturers grow at home and, compete around the world. Our focus is to ensure manufacturers are recognized as engines for growth in the economy, with Canada acknowledged as both a global leader and innovator in advanced manufacturing and a global leader in exporting. CME is a member-driven association that directly represents more than 2,500 leading companies who account for an estimated 82 per cent of manufacturing output and 90 per cent of Canada’s exports.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Stefi Proulx
Director of Communications
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
C:  613-292-6070 | stefi.proulx@cme-mec.ca | @CME_MEC