Montréal – Canadian workers are talented, driven and among the most highly educated in the world. As Canada’s economy continues to grow and change, the Government of Canada is focused on creating meaningful and rewarding jobs that provide a good quality of life.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, convened businesses, non-profits, industry, labour and communities organizations from across the country, to build the 21st century Canadian workforce.
Nearly 200 leaders from various sectors of the labour market came together to discuss fresh ideas and innovative approaches to tackle pressing labour market issues and put forward a vision to support the needs of a modern Canadian economy and Canadian workers.
At the Summit, Minister Boissonnault delivered a keynote address identifying some of the challenges facing the Canadian economy including critical labour shortages in key sectors, an aging population set to retire, and more frequent economic disruptions felt around the world.
The Minister highlighted the need to offer the right supports to help the untapped pool of Canadians from under-represented groups including Indigenous people, women, and persons with disabilities, find good jobs. He stressed the importance of attracting more young people to rewarding careers in the skilled trades as well as finding new ways to provide training, retraining and upskilling to meet the needs of workers no matter what point they are at in their working lives.
The Minister noted the important role that provinces and territories play in education and skills training and was disappointed that they chose not to participate in this year’s Workforce Summit.
The Minister also announced the launch of a new call for proposals for $30 million over two years for the Canada Retraining and Opportunities Initiative that will fund community-based workforce retraining projects in situations of mass layoffs.
To support the Summit, an online engagement to collect Canadians’ views on the most pressing issues impacting Canada’s labour market is open until October 31, 2024. An update on findings will be accessible and will inform priorities and future directions for workforce development in Canada and further engagement with employers, unions as well as provinces, territories and Indigenous partners.
Canada is home to the smartest minds, the most talented workers, and a strong education, training, and employment system. By working together, we can better equip the workforce of today and tomorrow, and build a more innovative, productive, and competitive labour force for generations to come.” –Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault
“Canada’s workforce is one of our greatest assets. It’s our competitive advantage that sets us apart on the world’s stage. This summit is about giving workers, businesses and investors the confidence they need to build—because we need everyone on board to create Canada’s 21st-century economy.” –Minister of Labour and Seniors, Steven MacKinnon