While the local economy is healthy there is a need to attract new people to the Grey-Bruce-Huron-Perth region to fill jobs.
That according to Four County Labour Market Planning Board Executive Director Gemma Mendez-Smith.
She said there are some troubling indications even though unemployment is at an all-time low. And one obstacle is a shortage of affordable housing.
“We have a very low unemployment rate, we have a vibrant economy," said Mendez-Smith. "We need to grow the workforce and one of those ways will be inviting people to move to our region and live and work in our region. So we need to consider how we will house them and that's a huge discussion.”
Mendez-Smith said people looking at coming to the region to take entry-level jobs for minimum wage or slightly more can't afford the housing that is currently available to them.
She added that transportation has long been considered the major obstacle to people looking at moving into our rural areas because of little or no public transportation. But that challenge has now been eclipsed by the shortage of affordable housing.