• Français
Future Skills Center logo
Français
Polygon Created with Sketch. Home | Engage | Regional Sounding Tours

Regional Sounding Tours

What do Canadians think about the future of work and skills?

In collaboration with The Conference Board of Canada, FSC held two Regional Sounding Tours (RSTs). These consultation meetings taking place in every province and territory connect Canadians who are actively engaged in the country’s skills and training community, as well as individuals interested in learning more about skills development and the future of work. We talked with Canadians who are actively engaged in the country’s skills and training community, as well as individuals interested in learning more about skills development and the future of work.

Facilitating group discussions through the RSTs offers an opportunity to engage in a conversation with FSC on your experiences of what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to skills development. Your feedback allows us to tailor our work to meet the needs of local communities today and in the future.  

We wanted to know:

  • How are economies, jobs, education, and training changing across Canada?
  • How can we support pandemic recovery?
  • How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted local labour markets, economies, and society?
  • What do Canadians think will be necessary to train a future generation of students and workers?

We wanted to know what does—and doesn’t—work for skills development, and how skills and training play a role in leaders’ strategic priorities. The first round pf RSTs were held in-person between October 2019 and October 2020.

The Virtual Regional Sounding Tour (VRST) focused on how the country has been impacted by COVID-19, and how the Future Skills Centre can help on the road to recovery. The VRSTs were held virtually between December 2020 and March 2021.

What Did We Learn?

Five key themes emerged from the consultation with Canadians during the Regional sounding Tours, including:

Download the report
Download the report
Download the report
Download the report
Download the report

Related Content

Cargo ships carrying stacked containers across calm water with a bridge and mountains in the background.
Research

Gearing Up for Global Exports: Identifying Skills and Promising Practices to Support Indigenous Exportersexternal link icon

  • March 2026
  • Signal49 Research (formerly The Conference Board of Canada)
Indigenous small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) in Canada continue to be under‑represented in global trade due to long‑standing barriers that limit their access to global markets, financing, and export‑related support.
A red semi-truck hauling freight on a mountain highway, with snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks and evergreen forest in the background.
Research

Mapping Indigenous Export Potential: The Intersection of Indigenous Self-Employment With Canada’s Export Economyexternal link icon

  • March 2026
  • Signal49 Research (formerly The Conference Board of Canada)
Indigenous-owned SMEs operating in export-engaged industries tend to be more resilient and achieve higher growth than those serving only domestic markets, yet the Indigenous export rate (7.2 per cent) remains well below the Canadian average (12.1 per cent).
Two people collaborating on interior design sketches at a desk with color swatches and drawings.
Research

The Art in Artificial Intelligence: Impact of Generative AI on Canada’s Creative Sector Workers

  • March 2026
  • The Dais
This project examines the implications of generative AI for creative sector workers using an occupational and task-level analytical framework previously applied across Canada’s labour market.
2 Related Reports