I will briefly outline some proposals that your members have identified as crucial initiatives for continued growth, prosperity, and job creation in the Waterloo region. We have provided a series of recommendations in our brief related to the elimination of employment barriers for internationally trained professionals and tradespeople.
A paradoxical situation is occurring where employers require more skilled and educated people to fill their vacancies, while at the same time qualified newcomers to Canada are unable to find work in their areas of training. We have proposed the inclusion of credential pre-assessment as part of the immigration process. It would provide new professionals with realistic expectations, allowing them to make more informed decisions on available opportunities and required upgrading.
Investment in the transit system remains a priority for the Waterloo region. We propose that as fiscal circumstances permit, an additional $1 billion be provided annually through the strategic infrastructure fund to further support public transit investment in Canada. On a local level, we seek a further financial commitment, subject to the outcome of ongoing technical studies on environmental assessment, to the region of Waterloo's transportation strategy that includes the rapid transit system.
Business in the Waterloo region is becoming increasingly dependent upon export markets. Current annual exports exceed $12 billion, with approximately $10.7 billion destined for the United States. The just-in-time delivery system utilized by many manufacturers requires an effective and efficient border system, particularly at Windsor and Detroit. Increasing trade volumes and an aging infrastructure place heavy pressures on the current system. It is now estimated that if no new improvements are made to border crossing capabilities in the Detroit River area by 2030, a total of 70,000 Canadian jobs will be lost.
We therefore propose that the federal government, in cooperation with the municipal and provincial levels of government, lead and expedite an environmental assessment process to build a new Windsor-Detroit border crossing before 2011.