Sault Ste. Marie mayor says centralizing all OLG jobs to the region is 'what's best for Ontario'

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker is continuing to press the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) to relocate all its jobs to Sault Ste. Marie.

Addressing OLG's board of directors and executive management team, Shoemaker said that all OLG jobs should be based inSault Ste. Marie, referring to it as the corporation's "headquarters."

He saidthe organization is split betweenToronto and Sault Ste. Marie, with about 55 per cent of the jobs still located in Toronto. The workforce inSault Ste. Marie has about 600 jobs and a much lower turnover rate,Shoemaker said.

In a news release, the city said OLG President and CEO Duncan Hannay invited Shoemaker to speak at the meeting. Shoemaker says that centralizing the workforce in Sault Ste. Marie would benefit both the city and the corporation, increasing local jobs and reducing operating costs.

"We want to see more good knowledge sector economy jobs in Sault Ste. Marie where there is opportunity to move up It provides stability, it provides a good income, it provides the type of job that really we're trying to attract to our community," said Shoemaker.

It would also cost the corporation less money to be located inSault Ste. Marie due to lower cost of real estate, and it would fairly disperse government jobs throughout the province, said Shoemaker.

The push follows several discussions the mayor has had with the OLG board and the Ontario government about expanding OLG's operations in Sault Ste. Marie. Shoemaker says he has already made some strides, including the relocation of a senior executive position to the city, the appointment of a local board member, and a two-day virtual recruiting fair.

Shoemaker plans to continue advocating for the relocation of all OLG jobs to Sault Ste. Marie. He says the move should be a part of Ontario's strategy to save taxpayer dollars and boost economic development across Ontario.

"Moving OLG jobs to Sault Ste. Marie aligns with the province's broader goals of balancing economic development across Ontario, reducing the concentration of jobs and economic prosperity in southern Ontario and supporting the economic vitality of northern regions," said Shoemaker in the city's news release.