Maple News reports that Ontario is launching a major initiative to bring 100 immigrant entrepreneurs to communities outside the Greater Toronto Area over the next two years. The goal of this effort is to stimulate local economies, create jobs, and revitalize regions that suffered job losses during the pandemic.
Prospective applicants can enter through the existing Entrepreneur Stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). To qualify, entrepreneurs must invest at least $200,000 into starting or acquiring a business in an eligible Ontario region. Once their business has operated successfully for 18 to 20 months, they may receive a provincial nomination. This nomination allows them to apply for permanent residency through Canada’s federal immigration system.
The initiative carries an estimated cost of $6 million for the provincial government, but officials say it’s an investment that will pay off. Labour Minister Monte McNaughton estimates the program will generate approximately $20 million in private investment and spur job creation. “Our goal is to empower people in every part of Ontario—not just in major cities—with access to meaningful, well-paying jobs close to home,” McNaughton stated.
Since its launch in 2015, the Entrepreneur Stream has led to just two successful nominations, prompting a redesign to make the program more effective. This new push focuses on better matching immigrant entrepreneurs with viable business opportunities in underserved communities.
This move is part of broader immigration reforms in Ontario. The province has recently overhauled its application system to make the nomination process more efficient. It has also taken steps to help more internationally trained professionals qualify to work in regulated sectors across the province.
Ontario continues to press the federal government for an increased share of Canada’s immigration intake. In 2021, Ontario was allocated 8,600 immigration nominations. Minister McNaughton has advocated for doubling that figure to better meet local labor and economic needs.
Nationwide, Canada welcomed over 313,000 immigrants between January and October of 2021, according to the most recent government data. Ontario’s stepped-up immigration efforts signal its determination to grab a larger slice of that number in order to fuel its post-pandemic economic recovery.
With immigration increasingly viewed as a lever for regional revitalization, Ontario is setting its sights on turning global talent into local prosperity.