Manitoba has a serious worker shortage problem

Manitoba has a serious worker shortage problemThere 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…

The Welfare Trap: Working pays little more than welfare

The Welfare Trap: Working pays little more than welfareHelping 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…

Regulated career colleges key to solving labour shortages

Regulated career colleges key to solving labour shortagesAn 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…

Canada faces a serious shortage of STEM skills

Canada faces a serious shortage of STEM skillsA 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…

Women are retiring in greater numbers – and that’s a problem

Women are retiring in greater numbers – and that’s a problemHealth 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…

The skilled trades shortage has a solution: women

But women have challenges that most men don’t have when entering the trades

The skilled trades shortage has a solution: womenThe 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…

What an aging society will mean for inequality, inflation

A labour shortage will reduce income inequality. But inflation will trend higher

What an aging society will mean for inequality, inflationWritten 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…

The Trudeau government is making your life even harder

Increases to the Marginal Effective Tax Rate taking even more of your hard-earned money

The Trudeau government is making your life even harderNew 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…

If we want to thrive, we need bright young workers

Younger people have values and expectations unlike those of their parents

If we want to thrive, we need bright young workersIn 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…

Be kind. Our staff is working as hard as they can

People who have worked in customer service jobs are now avoiding these positions at all costs

Be kind. Our staff is working as hard as they canIt 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…
1 2 3 4