To successfully transition to a net-zero economy, Canada will require workers with the skills and knowledge needed to fill green jobs, but sectors connected to the green economy face skills gaps and talent shortages around the globe.

This project used available data to synthesize what is currently known about the levels, types, and trends in firms’ training investments including which firms provide (and which employees receive) training, and the motivations and barriers firms face in providing training. The project showed that Canadian firms lag their international peers in investments in training; that larger firms are more likely to invest, especially those in knowledge & technology-based sectors; and that training is more likely to be offered to full-time, permanent employees in their prime working years with higher levels of education. 

Supporting  employers in overcoming structural barriers to training investment is key to addressing labour and skill shortages.

This research examines the relationship between access to benefits and quality of work in the current Canadian context, with a central focus on mental health and well-being, diverse forms of care and greater inclusion for those without benefits. Although the full impact and long-term effects of COVID-19 are still not well understood, recent studies indicate that pre-existing mental health symptoms intensified during the pandemic.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Canada’s unemployment rate reached one of its highest levels at 14.1 per cent. In response, the federal government launched the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), providing a financial benefit of $2,000 a month to workers directly affected by COVID-19. 

As Canada’s population ages, the critical role of immigration will only intensify. By 2025, Canada aims to welcome 500,000 newcomers, a record target that reflects our dependency on immigration to ensure labour market and economic growth. Yet when they settle, many newcomers still find themselves in jobs poorly matched to their experience and qualifications.

This research was a starting point, a chance to explore the state of racialized professionals in real estate development and housing, look at the opportunities that exist for launching ventures in emerging areas and do primary research with racialized professionals to understand their perspective on the industry and what supports would help them to step into their career aspirations.

Indigenous skilled labour is critical to realizing this new vision of economic reconciliation. Indigenous finance and management professionals can help their communities navigate the new and increasingly complex economic relationships.

This issue briefing reveals how Black professionals perceive the development, expression, and evaluation of social and emotional skills at work.