'Hey Alberta, no!': Chatham-Kent goes on the defensive against campaign luring workers to the west
In response to Alberta ads encouraging Ontario residents to head west — the Municipality of Chatham-Kent has launched a counter campaign reminding local workers how good they have it in Southwestern Ontario.
“It's meant to be a fun thing to say, ‘no hang on! Chatham-Kent has everything and I believe more,” Mayor Darrin Canniff told CTV News Thursday.
The municipality has launched “Why CK” as a result of radio ads now being broadcast on local radio stations.
“I heard it, I'm thinking, ‘is this an advertisement for Ontario and Chatham Kent?’” Canniff said when he first found out about the ad campaign.
Earlier this month, Alberta rolled out phase two of their “Alberta is Calling” campaign in nine Ontario municipalities including Windsor and Chatham.
“They’ll see transit ads, billboards (and) they're going to hear radio ads,” Brian Jean, Alberta’s minister of jobs, economy and northern development, said at a news conference on March 13. “We targeted these (municipalities) because of the high unemployment, but also because of the type of skilled trades they have.”
Jean said at the time the government is spending $5 million on the campaign to lure workers from Ontario and the Maritimes to move to Alberta for a new career and a new life.
“We have nearly 100,000 rewarding jobs ready and available in a variety of high demand sectors, including skilled trades, health care, accounting, engineering, technology, but also in the service and tourism sector,” said Jean.
He said phase one of the campaign — in summer 2022 — lured nearly 33,000 people to move to Alberta.
“We have an excellent quality of life and an affordable lifestyle in every corner of this great and amazing province,” said Jean.
“We're looking (at the campaign) and saying, ‘hang on here. We have all those opportunities,’” said Canniff. “Every opportunity mentioned in there — we have those opportunities too.”
Canniff won’t say how much their commercial cost to produce or broadcast but did say it’s nowhere near the $5 million Alberta is spending across Canada.
Canniff noted the weather here is far better than the west, using Edmonton as an example.
”If you look at their average low for the year is -1C,” said Canniff. “So if you like cold temperatures, Alberta might be for you.”
While conceding Alberta does have the Rocky Mountains, Canniff noted no matter where you live in Chatham-Kent, you’re only 20 minutes from a beach.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.