A Windsor job fair is bringing employers directly into the Downtown Mission as the organization looks to help people facing barriers to employment take the next step toward independence. The Downtown Mission is hosting its first job fair at its Ouellette Avenue facility Thursday, bringing employers from the downtown core together with people looking for work. Executive director Rukshini Pooniah-Goulin said the event is intended not only for people who use Mission services, but anyone in the community who is struggling to find employment. “We consider it our duty to help people move forward in life,” Pooniah-Goulin said. “Things like a job fair is something small that we can do to help those we serve, but not just those we serve here at the Mission, but also people in our community who are struggling right now.” Pooniah-Goulin said transportation can be a significant barrier for people looking for work, particularly when getting to job fairs or potential workplaces requires travelling outside their neighbourhood. Holding the event at the Mission allows people living in the downtown area to meet employers without having to travel far, she said. The job fair is also an extension of the Mission’s Enterprise Employment Program, which helps people with employment-related supports. Pooniah-Goulin said finding a job can mean more than simply earning a paycheque for someone facing financial hardship. “It could mean maybe they don’t need our food bank to depend on for food for themselves or their family,” she explained. “It could just mean a wide array of different types of giving people different types of hope for themselves, for our community.” The job fair comes as Workforce WindsorEssex reports some encouraging signs in the local labour market. The region added about 6,000 jobs in July, the largest month-over-month employment increase since October 2025, according to the organization. Aaron Fauteux, service innovation lead with Workforce WindsorEssex, said the latest numbers are encouraging, although the data is several weeks old and the next figures won’t be released until September. “We’re cautiously optimistic,” Fauteux told CTV News. He said the region also recorded its fewest unemployed people since 2024 and its highest level of self-employed workers since 2019. Retail salespeople, transport truck drivers and food counter attendants continue to rank among the occupations in demand locally, Fauteux said. The arrival of Costco is also expected to provide opportunities for workers with a range of experience and skills, from pharmacists to shelf stockers. Costco is scheduled to hold a hiring fair Sept. 23 at the Serbian Centre in Windsor. A Windsor Regional Employment Network career fair is also planned for Sept. 24 at the Caboto Club, with about 30 employers, including Costco, already registered and more expected to participate. Fauteux said job fairs can be particularly useful for people who have struggled to get a response from employers through online applications. “You could send hundreds of resumes out and not always get a response,” he said. “One of the benefits of doing job fairs is getting to connect face to face with somebody.” The Downtown Mission job fair takes place Thursday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mission.
