Ministers discuss aging workforce, labour shortages

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Labour market ministers across Canada gathered in Winnipeg to discuss the country’s aging workforce and labour shortages, among other things, in the first forum of its kind for at least six years.

Manitoba’s economic development minister co-chaired the meeting Tuesday with the federal employment minister.

The forum was a “significant accomplishment,” Manitoba Economic Development Minister Jamie Moses stated late Tuesday afternoon.

“(We) had a productive conversation that was robust, detailed and passionate,” he said during a news conference.

A headline subject among politicians was finding ways to grow the labour force. Health care and construction sectors are major concerns in Manitoba, among other provinces.

Canada needs to build 3.5 million homes over the next decade, noted federal Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Minister Randy Boissonnault.

“That means working with unions to make sure people are skilled up. It means working with private sector,” he said. “That’s only going to happen if we unlock the full potential of the private sector.”

The Manitoba Construction Sector Council anticipates 4,500 construction workers — or 11 per cent of the industry — will retire by 2027.

Boissonnault mentioned $125 million will be spent over five years, nationally, on union training. He also underlined the $86 million he announced Monday to accelerate foreign credential recognition, largely targeting health care professionals.

The recent forum was a “building block for future conversations” and included a lengthy discussion on federal funding, Moses noted.

It was a way to share information and best practices, he added.

Attending ministers unanimously called for sustained labour market transfer agreement funding, according to a news release after the forum.

Ottawa currently invests $3.4 billion nationally in skills and labour market development across provinces and territories, Boissonnault noted.

Employment and Social Development Canada, who oversees employment programs like the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, is due for a departmental plan. Its current plan ends this year.

It’s important that funding for labour market development continues, Boissonnault stated Tuesday.

Politicians at the forum discussed increasing participation of under-represented groups in the labour market.

Focusing on people with disabilities and emphasizing economic reconciliation will be key, Boissonnault noted.

The Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development presented to ministers Tuesday about the supports needed to help Indigenous people access the labour force.

Ensuring there are partnerships between educators and employers is important — various sectors must collaborate, including government, post-secondaries and private businesses, Boissonnault stated.

“At the end of (the forum), we came out with a communiqué that was agreed upon with consent from all our partners,” Moses said. “That is significant.”

Such a forum hadn’t taken place in more than 2,200 days, Boissonnault added.

The labour market ministers are scheduled to meet again in June. The forum will continue to meet annually thereafter, according to a news release from Employment and Social Development Canada.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com