The Quebec manufacturing sector is not spared from the labor shortage, which has become a “glaring and devastating issue” since a record 31,985 vacant positions were recorded in the second quarter of 2022.
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A few days before the end of the electoral race, Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec (MEQ) therefore asked the political parties to quickly tackle this problem once elected.
“The situation for our manufacturers is getting worse and worse,” insisted Friday in a press release Véronique Proulx, president and CEO of MEQ. “The lack of workers has a direct impact on the economic fallout in the region, but also on the postponement of investments and disruptions in supply chains.”
Strong manufacturing regions are no exception to the situation since 6,550 vacant positions have been listed in Montérégie, 6,040 in Montreal and 4,430 in Chaudière-Appalaches.
In fact, 37% of job vacancies in the manufacturing sector in Canada are in La Belle Province.
“While we are talking regarding more than one economic recession, Quebec and its regions need prosperous businesses more than ever,” argued Ms. Proulx. “The shortage of workers is a crying and devastating issue. It has also become a major obstacle to the creation of wealth and revenue for the Quebec state.
Remember that the losses for Quebec in this sector would have reached $18 billion over two years due to the shortage of manpower in the manufacturing industry, according to a survey conducted last year by MEQ.
The manufacturing sector represents 12.6% of Quebec’s GDP and 86.1% of exports.
Some 1,000 jobs are looking for takers in the Bas-Saint-Laurent in the manufacturing sector, which represents 10,700 jobs in the region.
“In Bas-Saint-Laurent, manufacturers left $3.5 billion on the table for lack of the necessary workers. We refuse contracts, we postpone international growth projects, we let go of customers who are loyal to us because we are not able to produce, explained Ms. Proulx. Quietly, we are reducing our manufacturing footprint and producing less in the regions.”
In this sense, the manufacturers therefore want the candidates who will be elected on October 3 to implement solutions quickly.
Two key actions are also hoped for, namely the increase in immigration thresholds, in particular by facilitating the arrival of temporary foreign workers, and the automation of businesses.
In Rimouski, the company Techno Pneu hoped to remold 50,000 used tires last year, but this objective had to be revised downwards due to a lack of manpower.
“We would like to have 100 employees. The demand is there. But we are at around 80. It is certain that it is necessary to financially help the industrialists to automate. Immigration is also important while maintaining francization and there is also housing because it’s nice to have employees, but you also have to house them,” said Dave Ringuette, director of operations at Techno Pneu.
– With the collaboration of Vanessa Limoges, TVA Nouvelles
