Newmarket – The Regional Municipality of York has joined with the City of Markham, City of Richmond Hill and the City of Vaughan to partner with Supply Chain Canada to study the resilience of the manufacturing sector supply chain in York Region due to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know many businesses, including those in the manufacturing sector, have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “Supply chain resilience is fundamental to economic recovery at local, provincial and national levels. Assessing our manufacturer’s state of readiness will help us better understand business recovery.”
There are over 2,500 manufacturing businesses operating within York Region’s nine cities and towns, making it the third largest manufacturing cluster in Ontario and fifth largest in Canada.
The Building Supply Chain Resilience report provides key recommendations for manufacturers to safeguard their businesses in times of uncertainty, plus steps levels of government may implement to support this industry.
“Supply Chain Canada is proud to have brought together the expertise and collaborative spirit to deliver such an important report with York Region and its member municipalities,” said Christian Buhagiar, President and CEO of Supply Chain Canada. “This report is a model for other jurisdictions across Canada and has meaningful insights for supply chain leaders and policy makers throughout the country who want to foster economic recovery and future prosperity.”
Key findings of the report include:
Manufacturers:
- Focus efforts on business continuity planning and supply chain resilience measures such as dual sourcing, split volumes, critical components inventory, alternative manufacturing and labour capacity, and explore nearshoring feasibility
- Accelerate supply chain digitization, which can allow technology to share demand signals with trading partners and automate communications
- Secure systems and data against cyber attacks
Governments:
- At the municipal level, facilitate conversations with provincial and federal governments, continue to strengthen relationships with local manufacturers, bring the manufacturing community together to share business continuity and supply chain resilience, best practices, and resources
- At the provincial and federal levels, develop a national early warning system to flag and handle impending global supply chain disruptions, ensure critical supply chain infrastructure remains open during emergencies, review emergency financial programs for effectiveness and invest in workforce training programs
“This report will assist in business recovery from the current challenges brought upon by the pandemic and serve as a guide for manufacturers and governments,” said City of Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “It will help towards understanding, assessing and managing manufacturing supply chain risks and business continuity in the face of future external economic shocks.”
“The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our manufacturing sector may not be known for many years,” said City of Richmond Hill Acting Mayor Joe DiPaola. “It is crucial to provide guidance and support to manufacturers, with their continued input, as they focus efforts on a lasting recovery. This report is an important first step of the process.”
“The economic and trade challenges resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic have impacted manufacturers in communities across Canada. Risks and uncertainties have emerged relating to supply chains in key manufacturing sub-sectors,” said City of Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. “As a region, we remain committed to working with job creators, industry leaders and stakeholders to usher in a resilient, resourceful and competitive future for the manufacturing sector.”
Thirty York Region-based manufacturers from five manufacturing sub-sectors were consulted to form the basis of the analysis and recommendations of the report, including:
- Electronics and Electrical
- Agriculture and Food and Beverage Processing
- Building Materials
- Automotive Components
- Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices
Supply Chain Canada is Canada’s professional industry association and plays a central role in furthering best practices in Canada. This report marks a first step for the association in partnering with municipal governments to assess supply chain impact and resilience at the local community level.
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to 1.2 million residents and 57,000+ businesses with over 615,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices
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Media Contact:
Masrine Peart, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 1-877-464-9675 Cell: 905-251-6416
Email: masrine.peart@york.ca