Future of work
A curated resource of recent research on trends shaping Canada's labour market.
Key Takeaway: As policymakers consider how to build back the economy after the pandemic, addressing the problems created by job polarization must figure in their priorities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the phenomenon of job polarization — including automation, offshoring and the growing importance of the gig economy. This report looks at job polarization, with the goal of helping Canadian policymakers and the public better understand the trend, including causes and effects, and how it differs among provinces, industries and workers. As society slowly reopens and businesses resume, there will be no “return” to normal: the pandemic has dragged the future of work into the present. The goal of this report is to create a robust policy ecosystem that supports the mobility needed for workers and employers to navigate the new reality. If “build back better” is to be more than a slogan, it will need to confront the issue of job polarization.