Learning From One Another: Skill Gaps in Labour Markets in Northern Ontario, Yukon, and Nunavut
Northern Ontario, Yukon, and Nunavut share similar challenges to workforce development related to their shared Northern, rural, and remote contexts. Current challenges will only grow as sectors increasingly require more digital, leadership, business and administrative, and soft skills.
Major roadblocks to growing the labour pools in these regions include limited access to relevant post‑secondary programs and overarching challenges such as lack of housing and services in remote areas that make it difficult to attract labour. Because of their shared Northern, rural, and remote contexts, there is an opportunity for each region to learn from the others on approaches and strategies that can be used to manage the demand for labour and skills gaps across the regions.
Key insights
Work-integrated learning opportunities in high school can help Northern employers increase the visibility of northern careers and establish connections with local students before they make decisions about their post-secondary education. These opportunities also support the development of technical and soft skills.
Community-led initiatives can create a network of support that helps integrate new professionals taking on employment opportunities in Northern communities.
Simplifying and centralizing processes around professional certification for both Canadian- and international-trained workers are needed to attract workers to these Northern regions.
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