Ontario has launched a new round of its Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative. It reserves provincial nomination spaces for selected communities and runs to the end of 2027. Four of the six partner areas are in Northern Ontario.
This update uses the OINP program updates page, the REDI initiative page, and the local community pages linked below.
Who is in the 2026–2027 round
Ontario’s REDI page lists six partnering communities for 2026–2027:
- Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury
- Kenora District
- Nipissing District
- Rainy River District
- Renfrew County
- Thunder Bay
Boundaries follow Statistics Canada census divisions, not city limits. Each name on the REDI page links to a boundary map. Check that map against the address of the actual workplace before you assume a job counts.
How REDI works
REDI is not a separate application. The OINP updates page says applicants must meet Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) eligibility requirements to be considered.
The province allocates nomination spaces to partner communities. Those communities also get dedicated OINP support, including information sessions for employers. A REDI community does not guarantee an invitation or a nomination. A provincial nomination is also not permanent residence; IRCC still decides the federal application.
Local numbers so far
Ontario’s REDI page does not list nomination numbers per community. Two community leads have published their own figures:
- Thunder Bay: the CEDC’s immigration page says the Thunder Bay District census division has an expected allocation of 150 nominations in 2027.
- Nipissing District (North Bay): the City of North Bay’s REDI page says the district has been allocated up to 150 nomination spaces for 2027, running until December 31, 2027.
We did not find published allocations for Greater Sudbury or Kenora District at the time of writing. Treat any other number you see online with caution.
Kenora District: Dryden and Sioux Lookout
The City of Dryden and the Municipality of Sioux Lookout say a regional application led by Confederation College covered the Kenora and Rainy River districts. Partners were told on October 16 that it was successful.
Sioux Lookout lists an in-person employer session, “Immigration Pathways for Employers,” on November 4, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. It covers the OINP’s Ontario Workforce Priority stream and federal programs, with presenters from IRCC and the OINP. Register through the Sioux Lookout notice.
The stream you would apply through
The OINP updates page describes the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which opened to expressions of interest on August 4, 2026. Minimums include:
- TEER 0–3 jobs: a full-time, permanent job offer, Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6 (CLB 5 for some occupations), and a post-secondary degree or diploma.
- TEER 4–5 jobs: a full-time, permanent job offer, CLB 4, a Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent, and 9 months of experience in the last 2 years with the job-offer employer.
- Rural employers: lower business revenue rules apply in census divisions with fewer than 150,000 people.
Full rules are on the Ontario Workforce Priority stream page.
New points for higher earners
On October 5, 2026, the OINP changed one scoring factor for this stream. Registrants who earned $80,000 or more in a single year within the past 5 years, shown on a Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment, now get 10 points for earnings history.
The updates page says the change was applied automatically. Existing registrants do not need to log in or edit anything.
What about Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and the other towns?
Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and the Cochrane and Algoma areas are not on this REDI list. Workers there can still use the regular OINP stream. Sault Ste. Marie and the Timmins region also take part in the federal Rural Community Immigration Pilot. See our RCIP fall 2026 update.
Where to get help
- Our Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program guide explains the OINP in plain language.
- A free settlement agency can help before you pay anyone.
- OINP general questions: 416-327-0374 or toll-free 1-866-214-6820, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., per the REDI page.
This is general information, not immigration advice. If this page and ontario.ca disagree, use ontario.ca.
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.