FONOM Releases Report Examining Municipal Challenges examining the recruitment, retention and workforce development

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), in partnership with the four Northeastern Ontario Workforce Planning Boards, has released a new report examining the recruitment, retention and workforce development challenges facing municipalities across the region.

The Municipal Workforce Development and Job Vacancies Survey was launched at the 2026 FONOM Conference in Timmins. It gathered 61 responses from municipal representatives across the districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury and Timiskaming.

The findings demonstrate that workforce pressures are affecting municipalities of every size. 94% of respondents reported difficulty attracting qualified candidates, either generally or for specific positions. The positions most frequently identified as difficult to fill were senior management, public works and finance, followed by administrative, by-law enforcement and water and wastewater positions.

“Municipal employees deliver the essential services that residents and businesses rely on every day. When a community cannot recruit a treasurer, public works employee, building official or senior administrator, the impacts are felt throughout the municipality,” said FONOM President Dave Plourde. “Northern Ontario continues to be an economic engine for the province, but our communities need a strong and sustainable municipal workforce to support that growth. FONOM looks forward to working with the Province and our workforce planning partners on practical solutions.”

Smaller municipalities reported particularly difficult circumstances due to limited financial resources, smaller candidate pools, geographic isolation and a lack of dedicated human resources capacity.

Municipalities also face increasing competition from mining operations, other public-sector employers and larger communities for skilled and experienced employees.

Three-quarters of respondents indicated that their municipality had increased salaries or adjusted pay scales to remain competitive. However, the report concludes that compensation alone will not resolve the challenge. Municipalities identified salary benchmarking, centralized recruitment resources, shared human resources support, improved training opportunities and assistance with succession planning as important regional priorities.

“This survey gives us valuable, on-the-ground information directly from municipal leaders and staff,” said Stacie Fiddler, Executive Director of the Labour Market Group. “The results confirm that recruitment and retention pressures are widespread, but they also point us toward practical areas for collaboration. Better labour market information, expanded access to training and certification, and stronger workforce planning tools can help municipalities prepare for both their immediate and long-term staffing needs.”

The report also found that leadership and management abilities, regulatory and technical knowledge, and skilled trades certifications are among the most evident skills gaps. Respondents highlighted the need for more accessible training, including opportunities outside the largest Northern centres, streamlined certification pathways and increased support for succession planning.

“Northeastern Ontario municipalities are competing for workers in a challenging labour market, often with fewer resources and fewer qualified candidates available locally,” said Julie Joncas, Executive Director of the Far Northeast Training Board. “This partnership provides a stronger regional understanding of those pressures. By working together, we can develop solutions that reflect the realities of Northern communities and help build the workforce needed to support municipal services and future economic growth.”

FONOM and the four Workforce Planning Boards will use the findings to support continued regional collaboration and discussions with the Ontario government. The partners will explore opportunities to improve municipal recruitment, retention, training, succession planning and workforce development across Northeastern Ontario.

“Municipalities are doing everything they can to adapt, but this is a regional and provincial challenge that requires a coordinated response,” added Plourde. “Supporting the municipal workforce is an investment in strong communities, reliable public services and the continued economic success of Northern Ontario.”

The four participating Workforce Planning Boards are:

• The Labour Market Group;
• Algoma Workforce Investment Corporation;
• Far Northeast Training Board; and
• Workforce Planning for Sudbury & Manitoulin