This paper is based on ‘key informant’ interviews with human resources or operational managers of seven automotive production sector SMEs in rural/smaller population centres in Ontario and three such interviews with automotive production sector SMEs in urban/larger population centres in Ontario.

It examines some of the differences in respect of urban and rural employment issues which affect human resources recruitment and retention. It summarizes the feedback from these interviews and blends that feedback with other FOCAL Initiative work around key labour market issues in Canada’s automotive production sector.