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From sports clubs to school boards, everything newcomers to Timmins need to know about settling into the community is now available in a free, easy-to-use guide. Created in partnership between the Timmins Economic Development Corporation’s Employer Council and the Timmins Chamber of Commerce, the New Residents Guide features 52 pages packed with information on how to make the most of living in Timmins. Starting with information helpful for moving in, such as contact numbers for real estate companies as well as hydro and telephone services, the guide goes on to outline local institutions for health care, financial services, and education. Once settled, new residents can then make use of the sections outlining the city’s many sports organizations, community groups, cultural offerings, as well as restaurants and entertainment venues. The New Residents Guide also features information useful for employment, whether it’s finding a job in the area, or starting a new business with the help of local organizations. All told, this document contains reams of information helpful for all aspects of Timmins life, according to local officials. “We hope that new and potential residents will see the Guide almost as a kind of operating manual for their new community, giving them an overview of Timmins features and benefits and how to access them,” said Maggie Matear, Vice Chair of the Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC). “It also achieves one of the objectives in the Timmins 2020 Strategic Plan, which was to develop tools that support employee recruitment and make it easier to retain new residents.” By offering more ways for new residents to integrate into the community, the New Residents Guide is another important solution for retaining employees, said Timmins Chamber President Art Pultz. “At a time where our business community is eager to grow and hire new staff, we’re pleased to help provide an important tool to give these many newcomers a real sense of the many great things available to them in Timmins,” said Pultz. “Telling people what our city has to offer is crucial for helping them to see Timmins as a place to live, stay, raise a family, and to really make this community their own.” The idea for a modernized, expansive New Residents Guide began with the Employer Council, which highlighted the need for a document for employers to use as a tool to attract employees, and as a settlement document to assist people with finding out what Timmins is all about. As an organization dedicated to improving the local business climate, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce was soon asked to assist in the research and development of the project. The Employer Council was established by the TEDC in Fall 2011 to bring local employers together to collectively develop employer-driven strategies designed to reduce barriers, create understanding, and build capacity to address their current and future labour shortages. The Employer Council engages employers and key stakeholders proactively and strategically to promote the integration of skilled newcomers into the local labour market. Copies of the New Residents Guide can be acquired online at the homepage for the Timmins Chamber of Commerce, at www.timminschamber.on.ca, at the Immigration Timmins website at www.immigrationtimmins.ca, as well as the TEDC homepage at www.timminsedc.com. -30- For more information contact: Cathy Ellis Director of Community Economic Development Timmins Economic Development Corporation cathy.ellis@timmins.ca | (705) 360-2656 Nick Stewart Policy and Communications Director Timmins Chamber of Commerce policy@timminschamber.on.ca | (705) 360-1900