Pandemic Issues

For almost two years, Canadians have faced unprecedented economic challenges. The current hurdles are numerous: automation and new technologies have been introducing unprecedented levels of disruption...

Efforts to improve public health and contain the spread of serious illness must focus on both the lack of paid sick days for many workers and the behaviour of those who have access to paid sick days but choose not to use them because of the prevailing workplace culture

Jan. 4, 2022 — contributed to the Globe and Mail by Wendy Cukier, Kelly Gallagher-MacKay, and Karen Mundy

Dec. 29, 2021 — by Michelle Carbert, The Globe and Mail

by Raisa Patel — Toronto Star, Nov. 30

TORONTO, November 25, 2021 - The pandemic dealt a heavy blow to young people in Canada, disproportionately affecting their careers and educational paths, and especially those who are Indigenous, Black or have disabilities, according to a new survey from the Environics Institute.

This report explores the experiences during the pandemic of younger adults, defined as those between the ages of 18 and 34. It documents, not only the extent to which Canadian youth as a whole have been especially hard hit economically by the pandemic, but also how specific groups of youth – notably Indigenous youth, Black youth, youth with a disability, youth without a post-secondary education, and recent post-secondary graduates – have each encountered particular challenges.

The Survey on Employment and Skills, conducted by the Environics Institute for Survey Research in collaboration with the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre, was designed to explore Canadians’ experiences with the changing nature of work, including technology-driven disruptions, increasing insecurity and shifting skills requirements.

May 14, 2021 — Toronto Star, written by Heather Scoffield