ICCO Talks - Carmine Nigro

My name is Carmine Nigro. I'm president and CEO of Craft Development Corporation, and I'm also on the board of Runnymede Health. I'm board chair of Ontario Police and board chair of the LCBO on behalf of the province of Ontario. For the past 20 years, I've been on the board of directors for Friends of the Orphans Canada, where we build schools and orphanages in third-world countries. My role as chair of the LCBO is to oversee the business at 30,000 feet, help with union negotiations, and government mandates. Our profits, about 2.5 to 2.7 billion, go back to health and education for the province of Ontario. Pre-pandemic, the industry faced historic shortages of skilled labor, and we need to revisit our approach to trade schools and introduce trades to students at an early age. There's a stigma about children entering trades and the construction industry, and we need to change that mindset. Being a tradesperson is something to be proud of, and it's important to introduce children to trades so they can become owners of small businesses. Education is the secret ingredient to a good and successful future. It teaches discipline and helps children see ideas through to fruition. This country provides opportunity for all of us if we allow it and earn it. Education can be academic, street smarts, or business sense. My proudest moment was about 15-16 years ago when I built a large school in Guatemala and saw the kids in the classroom and teachers using it. I'm a recent member and was blessed to meet Corrado about a year ago, and since then we've been working on projects to achieve a deeper relationship between Italy and the province of Ontario. As my role in Invest Ontario, the chamber has been a great ally in assisting the province and myself in seeing Italian companies expand in Ontario. The chamber has also been an incredible source of information for Ontario companies looking for expansion and guidance. Corrado and the chamber have been a breath of fresh air, with support and communication that hasn't missed a beat. It's important to be able to count on the chamber during these moments when we all need help, especially the past two years, whether it's financial help or guidance. Italy is my blood source, it's in my DNA. I was born there, I love the people, the simplicity of the south, and the incredible resilience of the north. Italy to me is life for sure.