These foreign workers fear having to leave northwestern Ontario community they love after federal program ends

Sioux Lookout, a small town northwest of Thunder Bay, Ont., has become a surprising hub for hundreds of foreign workers over the past few years. These workers have come to the town through the Rural Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP), which aimed to connect skilled workers with employers in rural communities facing labor shortages while offering a pathway to permanent residency in Canada.

However, the program came to an end in August, leaving many foreign workers and employers in Sioux Lookout uncertain about their future. The new program that replaced RNIP, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), did not include Sioux Lookout in its catchment area. This decision left many workers like Palak Gulati, a customer service supervisor at Fresh Market, in a state of limbo.

Gulati, who originally came to Sioux Lookout with the intention of applying for permanent residency through RNIP, has grown to love the peaceful and quieter lifestyle that the town offers. She never imagined herself staying in a small town, but now she is reluctant to leave.

The exclusion of Sioux Lookout from RCIP was due to the program’s changing boundaries. Thunder Bay’s Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), which administered RNIP in Sioux Lookout, found it challenging to validate employers in a community without strong ties to businesses and the local community.

Fresh Market, the town’s only independent grocery store, heavily relies on foreign workers for nearly half of its 200-person staff. These workers, like bakery manager Aimad Elhani, have played a crucial role in the store’s growth and success. Elhani, a former pastry chef from Dubai, has built a life in Sioux Lookout and recently became a permanent resident of Canada.

However, the changes in immigration programs have left many foreign workers like Satveer Kaur Sandhu, another customer service supervisor at Fresh Market, feeling uncertain about their future. Sandhu expressed concerns about the impact of the changes on both her mental and physical well-being.

To address the challenges faced by foreign workers in Sioux Lookout, the municipality is collaborating with regional partners to advocate for more spots in the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) and reduce barriers to bringing foreign workers to the community. Efforts are being made to ensure that workers like Gulati, Elhani, and Sandhu can continue to contribute to the town’s growth and prosperity.

Sioux Lookout may have been left out of the new immigration program, but the community is determined to find solutions to retain the foreign workers who have become an integral part of its workforce. As they navigate the uncertainties of the changing immigration landscape, the town remains hopeful that a way forward will be found to support these workers and the businesses that rely on them.