Houston, we have a structural problem: Canadian Chamber of Commerce on job figures

(OTTAWA) – February 4, 2022 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Senior Director of Workforce Strategies and Inclusive Growth, Leah Nord, issued the following statement today on the state of Canada’s labour market.

”Today’s figures follow the same pattern as the previous four waves of COVID-19 restrictions. We know how the story will play out. The real story is not how the pandemic got us into this position but instead that we are in exactly the same position as before the pandemic started – a structural deficit in our labour market with no singular or easy fix on tap.

Any hope of economic recovery from the ravaging impacts of COVID-19 will depend upon addressing the systemic labour market gap of nearly one million job vacancies. If Canadian businesses can’t find the talent they need to sustain or grow their operations, our economy risks stagnation at a time when growth is a necessity.

Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to address this structural gap. It starts with labour market information about current and future business needs, and then building sustained talent pipelines that supply those requirements. It also involves effective policies that make it easy to re-integrate the long-term unemployed, as well as to attract and retain immigrants and ensure the full potential of all Canadians who are unrepresented and underrepresented in the labour market.

The Government of Canada has talked about the importance of economic growth. It’s a conversation that begins and ends with businesses – Canada’s economic engine – finding the talent they need to grow. There is no path to an inclusive recovery and sustainable growth without addressing, once and for all, the structural labour market gap.”

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce — The Future of Business Success

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most activated business network — representing 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 businesses of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country — to create the conditions for our collective success. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the undisputed champion and catalyst for the future of business success. From working with government on economy-friendly policy to providing services that inform commerce and enable trade, we give each of our members more of what they need to succeed: insight into markets, competitors and trends, influence over the decisions and policies that drive business success and impact on business and economic performance. 

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Contact

Phil Taylor
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
ptaylor@chamber.ca