Municipalities across Northern Ontario are facing a growing challenge: finding enough qualified people to fill important jobs.
A new report from the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), created in partnership with four northeastern Ontario workforce planning boards, found that 94 per cent of municipalities surveyed are having trouble attracting qualified candidates. The findings were presented at the 2026 FONOM Conference in Timmins and are based on responses from 61 municipal representatives across Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury and Timiskaming.
For municipalities, this is more than a hiring problem. The people they are trying to recruit are responsible for keeping communities running – from maintaining roads and water systems to managing finances, enforcing local bylaws and overseeing major public projects.
Some Jobs Are Much Harder to Fill
The survey found that senior management positions were among the most difficult jobs to recruit for. Public works and finance positions also topped the list, followed by administrative roles, bylaw enforcement, and water and wastewater jobs.
FONOM president Dave Plourde said these positions are essential to everyday life in northern communities.
“Municipal employees deliver the essential services that residents and businesses rely on every day,” Plourde said. He noted that when a municipality cannot find someone to fill a key role such as treasurer, building official, public works employee or senior administrator, the effects can be felt throughout the community.
He added that Northern Ontario remains an important part of Ontario’s economy, but communities need a strong municipal workforce to keep up with that growth.
Smaller Communities Feel the Pressure Most
The problem is particularly difficult for smaller municipalities. Many have smaller budgets, fewer potential applicants and limited access to human resources support. Being located far from larger centres can make recruitment even harder.
Municipalities are also competing with some of the biggest employers in the region. Mining companies, larger communities and other public-sector organizations can often offer similar workers more opportunities or higher salaries, making it harder for smaller municipalities to compete.
Three-quarters of the municipalities surveyed said they have already increased salaries or adjusted their pay scales in an effort to attract and keep employees.
But the report suggests that simply offering more money will not solve the problem on its own.
More Than Salary
Municipalities say they need a broader range of tools to tackle the workforce shortage. Some of the priorities identified in the report include better salary comparisons, regional recruitment resources, shared human resources support, improved training and stronger succession planning.
In other words, communities need help not only finding workers, but also developing the next generation of municipal employees.
Stacie Fiddler, executive director of the Labour Market Group, said the survey provides a valuable picture of what municipalities are actually experiencing.
The findings, she said, show that recruitment and retention challenges are widespread, but they also point toward practical solutions. Better labour market information, easier access to training and certification, and improved workforce planning could help municipalities prepare for both immediate vacancies and longer-term staffing needs.
Skills Gaps Are Another Concern
The challenge is not simply about the number of people applying. Municipalities are also looking for people with very specific skills.
According to the report, some of the biggest gaps are in leadership and management, regulatory and technical knowledge, and skilled trades certifications.
Municipal leaders said training needs to be more accessible, particularly for people living outside the largest northern communities. They also want certification processes to be easier to navigate and more support for succession planning so experienced employees can pass their knowledge on before they retire.
Julie Joncas, executive director of the Far Northeast Training Board, said municipalities are competing for workers in an already difficult labour market and often have fewer candidates to choose from.
She believes that working together across the region can give communities a better understanding of the problem and help create solutions that actually reflect the realities of Northern Ontario.
Looking for Regional Solutions
FONOM and the four workforce planning boards now plan to use the report to guide discussions with the Ontario government and continue working together on regional strategies.
The goal will be to improve recruitment, employee retention, training, succession planning and overall workforce development across northeastern Ontario.
For many municipalities, the issue is becoming increasingly urgent. Empty positions can put pressure on existing employees and make it harder to deliver the services residents depend on.
Plourde said municipalities are already doing what they can to adapt, but believes the problem is too large for individual communities to solve on their own.
Supporting the municipal workforce, he said, is ultimately an investment in reliable public services, strong communities and the future economic growth of Northern Ontario.
