Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association

Talent attraction and recruitment have always been foundational to how municipalities deliver services. Today, however, this work requires a far more adaptive, strategic, and people centred approach. For the Region of Peel, these efforts are taking place in a period marked by significant change. Recent political decisions and legislation—including Bill 45 and Bill 60—continue to shape the municipal landscape, influence workforce confidence, and affect how candidates perceive long-term employment in the public sector. Through this uncertainty, our commitment remains unchanged: supporting people and fostering a community where everyone can thrive.

Peel’s vision, “Community for Life,” and our mission of “Working with you to create a healthy, safe and connected community” guide our approach to talent attraction. While pressures around us shift, the purpose behind municipal work remains deeply rooted in service, equity, and community impact. Peel’s municipal value proposition reflects this—offering meaningful work, trusted relationships, and an environment grounded in care, connection, and collaboration.

Our Employee Value Proposition (EVP) reflects this promise through five commitments:

• Inclusion, ensuring people feel they belong and can show up authentically.
• Transparency through open communication and consistent processes.
• Care and Support, prioritizing wellbeing and a positive employee experience.
• Collaboration, bringing teams and perspectives together to solve challenges.
• Leadership, grounded in integrity, accountability, and inspiration.

These principles come to life through ONEHR, our shared approach to supporting candidates, employees, and leaders. ONEHR emphasizes integrity, flexibility, empathy, innovation, and client-centred service. Guided by our HR North Star, we see our role as trusted advisors who build meaningful relationships, engage proactively, and deliver thoughtful workforce solutions—especially during times of change.

This people centred approach is evident in the work of Talent Acquisition throughout 2025. Recruitment continues to grow more complex, particularly in service areas where operational demands and labour market realities intersect with political direction—most notably Long-term Care and Public Works.

Long-term Care continues to experience sustained hiring needs as teams work to maintain continuity of care in a fastmoving, highly regulated environment. Recruitment in LTC requires strong collaboration with leaders, thoughtful communication, and sensitivity to the pressures that shape both the work and the candidate experience. Our goal is to support resident wellbeing, reinforce team stability, and ensure new employees feel prepared, valued, and connected from their first day. This work is highly relational and grounded in the values that define municipal service.

Public Works, especially the Water and Wastewater portfolio, faces a different set of challenges. Licensed operators and technical professionals remain in high demand across the sector. These roles require specialized training, certification, and 24/7 operational readiness. Complicating matters, Public Works continues to navigate political pressures, shifting governance discussions, and the broader implications of Bill 45 and Bill 60—all of which influence candidate confidence and long-term workforce planning.

Despite these complexities, Public Works exemplifies strategic adaptation. Talent Acquisition has partnered closely with leaders to refine attraction strategies, strengthen relationships with colleges and training institutions, and shape messaging that highlights purpose, safety, and community impact. These efforts have supported a more informed and confident talent pipeline and helped solidify Peel’s credibility in the sector. This work also led to a meaningful milestone: Talent Acquisition was invited to present hiring strategies at the Canadian Infrastructure Benchmarking Initiative Summit, demonstrating both operational excellence and the strength of our attraction approach.

Across all divisions, Talent Acquisition continues to anchor its work in empathy, clarity, and collaboration. We tailor strategies to program realities, use technology to strengthen transparency and consistency, and support onboarding processes that help new employees feel grounded from day one. Through deep partnerships with Legal, operational leaders, and broader HR teams, we navigate legislative requirements, mitigate risk, and support continuity across essential services.

ONEHR continues to guide us throughout this work—reinforcing integrity, flexibility, transparency, innovation, and client-centred service. These principles allow us to navigate uncertainty while staying grounded in what matters most: people.

As Peel continues to move through ongoing legislative and political change, Talent Acquisition remains committed to strengthening community capacity and supporting the employees who deliver essential services every day. Our focus is on advancing equitable and inclusive hiring practices, modernizing the hiring journey, building sustainable talent pipelines, and supporting internal mobility and development.

This is the municipal value proposition in action: purpose, people, and impact, shaping a workforce that is resilient, connected, and ready to serve a community for life.

Written by: OMHRA member Judy McArthur, Manager, Talent Acquisition, Region of Peel