Future of work
A curated resource of recent research on trends shaping Canada's labour market.
Key Takeaway: Labour force growth is likely to continue its recent slowdown, emphasizing the importance of policies to stimulate investment and boost productivity.
This report examines projections on labour force growth and discusses what a possible decline of growth could mean for the Canadian economy. Most projections identified in the report show some slowdown in labour force growth over the coming decades. Growth will depend on immigration as Canada’s population ages. However, the pandemic has increased uncertainty around already precarious labour force projections. Although several factors make these projections uncertain, it is more predictable that labour supply growth will continue its recent slowdown. A decline is not inevitable but slower labour force growth is likely to result in a deceleration of economic growth if not combatted with increasing capital inputs or productivity. This makes the adoption of measures that boost investment and productivity even more important.