On October 16, 2026, Ontario announced the relaunch of the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative for 2026-2027. Under REDI, dedicated Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) nomination spaces will be reserved for workers in six northern and rural communities: Greater Sudbury, Nipissing District, Thunder Bay, Kenora District, Rainy River District, and Renfrew County. The relaunched initiative will run until December 31, 2027. The OINP has not yet published the nomination quota for each community. REDI began as a pilot in 2020 and was expanded in 2025; nearly 1,000 workers have been nominated through the initiative to date, many in health care and the skilled trades. Candidates should note that some REDI regions overlap with federal pilots such as the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, which are separate programs with different processes and eligibility rules. Workers with a job offer in one of the six communities may have a dedicated pathway to permanent residence through the OINP.