The Northwest Training and Adjustment Board is an excellent resource for information on the local, regional, provincial and national workforce. We regularly provide and share information with the public and our partners within the region.

Please feel free to browse the NTAB LLMP & Annual Reports, NTAB Reports/Publications, Labour Market Information, Other Reports/Publications, Archive, and Occupational Profiles sections on this website for information relating to workforce development, industry and economic development.

If you would like to be added to our regional distribution list, please contact our office.

Please click the image above to access the 2026-2029 Local Labour Market Plan Report for the Kenora and Rainy River Districts.

The Northwest Ontario Training Board has issued an annual Local Labour Market Plan for more than a decade. Last year’s report issued early in 2025 was the final installment of a 3-year Action Plan supporting workforce development in the Kenora and Rainy River Districts. The year 2025 has been a year of marked change. We continue to witness change in global and national trends like trade changes, tariff shifts, supply chain issues, increasing use of generative artificial intelligence, federal and provincial policy updates, inflation, cost of living pressures and significant government investments. It seems especially fitting that our new 3-year Action Plan launch in 2026.

Community consultations conducted in 2025 confirmed our five priorities continue to be valid. However, we used the opportunity to further expand on each:

1. External Forces and Workforce Sector Shifts
2. Population Dynamics and Workforce Enablers
3. Skills, Training, and Learning Pathways
4. Entrepreneurship and Local Business Growth
5. Inclusion, Equity and Workforce Participation

The following indicators have been used to assess changes in labour market demand and supply over the past year:

Labour Market Demand

• There were 210 new businesses operating in the Kenora District between June 2023 and June 2025 or 5%. However, a significant number of these were owner-operated enterprises with no employees. The number of businesses with employees grew by a net eight businesses or 0.4%. The Rainy River District experienced similar growth in the business community. There were 81 new businesses operating in the area during the same time period; however, only one new business with employees.
• There were 1,608 online job postings issued by Kenora District employers between Nov 1 2024 and Oct 31 2025. The great number occurred in the Retail Trade; Manufacturing; Educational Services; Accommodation and Food Services and Health Care and Social Assistance sectors. The Rainy River District employers issued 824 job postings during the same period with the greatest number observed in Retail Trade; Manufacturing; Finance and Insurance and Health Care and Social Assistance.

To keep reading click the image above to access the full report.

For further information, please contact:

Northwest Training & Adjustment Board
113-100 Casimir Avenue Dryden, ON  P8N 3L4
Phone 807.223.3813
ntab@ntab.on.ca

Our report is also available in French

We’re excited to announce the release of our Joint Labour Market Report for Northwestern Ontario—a collaborative effort between the North Superior Workforce Planning Board (NSWPB), the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board (NTAB), and EmployNext.

This comprehensive report offers in-depth insights into workforce trends, job market shifts, and economic development opportunities across the Thunder Bay, Kenora, and Rainy River districts. Whether you’re a service provider, employer, policymaker, or community advocate, this data-driven resource will help inform your planning and decision-making in the year ahead.

Download the English report now:  Northwest Labour Market Analysis 2025

Download the French report now:  Analyse du marché du travail pour le Nord Ouest Mars 2025

Inside the Report:

• Current and projected job trends
• Workforce participation and demographic shifts
• Sector-specific challenges and opportunities
• Regional economic outlook
• Deep dive into District data

We encourage you to share this report with your networks and use the findings to support strategic initiatives that strengthen our region’s workforce and economy.

Please note: The future outlook of the Northwest economic region was produced prior to recent changes in immigration policy and the emerging threat of U.S. tariffs.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the findings further, we would be happy to connect.