Chamber: With labour shortages at an all-time high, where are the workforce development strategies this election?

(TORONTO- May 11, 2022) –Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement:

“Across sectors, employers in Ontario cannot find enough qualified candidates to fill job vacancies. Labour shortages are exacerbated by shifts in the workforce that occurred during the pandemic and by what is known as a ‘skills mismatch’ – a dynamic in which employers’ needs don’t align with the skill sets of job seekers.

“Access to talent is vital to fostering business growth, meeting consumer demand and our overall competitiveness. While immigration is a tool used to fill short-term gaps, Ontario needs a sector-specific workforce development strategy to prepare us for tomorrow’s labour market. We need a proactive approach with an emphasis on attracting and retaining skilled labour in high-demand sectors of the economy. These include, but are not limited to, construction, logistics, early childhood education, agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing, health care, and long-term care.

“We would like to see clarity on what all parties are planning to address this most pressing issue.”

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

For more information or to arrange an interview:

Andrea Carmona
Manager, Public Affairs
andreacarmona@occ.ca| Mobile: (647) 234-0255

Backgrounder: Vote Prosperity

As outlined in OCC’s election priorities document,  Vote Prosperity, parties should be focused on policies that result in more prosperous communities, improved business confidence, high-quality jobs, and a more resilient economy. This requires:

• Boosting confidence and predictability by modernizing regulation, committing to meaningful consultations, and developing a long-term plan to tackle Ontario’s debt without increasing taxes or cutting valuable programs and services.
• Implementing pro-growth policies through helping businesses access the capital, markets, and talent they need to grow.
• Building resilient communities by bolstering health care capacity, addressing climate change, and bridging our infrastructure gaps, including housing.
• Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation with targeted supports and a bold approach on technology adoption and data innovation.

The recommendations outlined in OCC’s Vote Prosperity were developed together with businesses, associations, post-secondary institutions, as well as chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province.

As the indispensable partner of business, we look forward to putting our members’ issues front and centre this election. To ensure the next provincial election addresses the most important issues, we have developed Vote Prosperity. Read the full plan.