Innovative Approaches to Prosperity: Shaping Toronto’s Labour Market

Breakfast Roundtable moderated by Carol Goar

A half day symposium on the challenges and solutions of Toronto’s changing labour market.

Why are Toronto’s employers talking about talent shortages while highly skilled and talented people struggle to find jobs?

How can Toronto better prepare our workforce for the future?

Toronto Workforce Innovation Group, moderator Carol Goar, and panelists:

Prof. David A. Wolfe, University of Toronto, author of "21st Century Cities in Canada"
Dr. Catherine Chandler-Crichlow, Toronto Financial Services Alliance
John Tory, Toronto City Summit Alliance

explored how Toronto might get away from a “just-in-time” approach to labour force development and work towards bridging the gaps between industry, business and education to drive innovation and productivity forward in our city.

Key topics for discussion included:

The Role of Innovation in the Economy
Changing Demographics – Tapping into Diversity
Increasing Polarization Between the Rich and Working Poor
Collaboration as Innovation

Participant Discussion Questions

Integrating Newcomers

It now takes immigrants arriving in Toronto twice as long to integrate into the local economy. How can accelerate this process? What supports are needed? Currently there are the LIP’s….what is and is not working about this?

Addressing Polarization of Incomes

The middle class is shrinking…three cities emerging. How can we change the shape of the labour market? What supports are needed? What policy approach can we take? (ask John to help with this?)

Lowering High Levels of Youth Unemployment

Youth unemployment is at its highest in Toronto and many of these unemployed youth do not have high school or college. What are the pathways that ought to be available for these youth? Are the trades an option? What other solutions are available or ought to be in place?

Working with employers in a coherent and coordinated way

We know that employers don’t have the time to be engaged. We know that there are agencies and organizations doing this well such as mentoring programs, speed mentoring, sector-specific job fairs. How can we build on those and replicate them?