There is a simple solution: cut taxes to make the province more competitive and help attract and retain talent Canada added 150,000 jobs in January. Only 800 of those were in Manitoba. Neighbouring Saskatchewan, with a smaller population, gained 4,500. In 2022, over 22,000 people moved from Manitoba to another province, an increase of 42…
Helping those stuck in the welfare trap could aid in addressing Canada’s labour shortage Would you take a job for $4.61 per hr? Probably not. But that’s the choice many Quebecers receiving social assistance are offered. With no exaggeration, they can either stay home or work full time for a whole year and earn a…
An all-hands-on-deck approach needed if Western Canada is to maintain its advantage as a destination for global talent After years of high unemployment and economic uncertainty, driven by low commodity prices and the pandemic, economies across Western Canada are once again picking up steam – and facing severe labour shortages. Governments have committed to finding…
A threat to both our quality of life and economic competitiveness We live in an age when a nation’s quality of life depends on a sufficient supply of science-based professionals possessing the skills needed in our technologically advanced world. The supply of these professionals was already tight, but a slowdown in replacing retirees during the…
Health care, retail trade and education/social assistance sectors especially hard hit The labour market for women in Canada has been in flux since the pandemic began, hitting some women harder than others. High demand for workers and high vacancies in many industries have pushed up wages in several select occupations, including professional services and information…
But women have challenges that most men don’t have when entering the trades
The fridge has stopped working, and your frozen food is melting. You call your usual appliance repair service only to find its cadre of four technicians has dwindled to two overloaded workers. They’ll do their best to come as soon as possible but can’t give a specific date. You contact friends about stuffing some food…
A labour shortage will reduce income inequality. But inflation will trend higher
Written by economists Charles Goodhart and Manoj Pradhan, The Great Demographic Reversal is a provocative read. And with 81 diagrams and 23 tables, it’s chockful of data in support of its thesis. That thesis is simple: “Of one thing we are sure, the future will be nothing like the past.” Or at least nothing like…
Increases to the Marginal Effective Tax Rate taking even more of your hard-earned money
New Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is correct when he says governments discourage work with taxes and clawbacks. The Marginal Effective Tax Rate (METR) measures what government takes from each new dollar earned in taxes and clawbacks of income-related government benefits. In his leadership acceptance speech and an August 19 video called “Make work pay,” Poilievre…
Younger people have values and expectations unlike those of their parents
In a free and open economy like Canada’s, the goods and services we enjoy are produced by entrepreneurs and business people. The biggest challenge they now face in providing this largesse is a lack of people willing and able to fill jobs – the talent. Particularly in short supply are younger workers. This shouldn’t be…
People who have worked in customer service jobs are now avoiding these positions at all costs
It should be good news. Canada now has the lowest unemployment rate ever. Certainly, a high unemployment rate is bad news. When the rate hits double digits with one in 10 out of work, the economy is in trouble and Canadian workers – and politicians – become fearful about getting and keeping a job. But…