A platform economy strategy for Canada: Supporting place-based governance for a more resilient and inclusive post-COVID future of work. Ottawa, ON: Action Canada.
In the past decade, digital platforms like Uber, Airbnb, Shopify and Amazon have become widely used in Canada, fuelled by advances in big data, algorithms and cloud computing. In 2018, 28% of Canadian adults earned income through digital platforms. Evidence suggests that growth of the platform economy has accelerated due to COVID-19, and that…Read More
Impact of COVID-19 on small businesses in Canada, first quarter of 2021. StatCan COVID-19: Data to Insights for a Better Canada. Catalogue no. 45280001. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada, Government of Canada.
This analysis covers how COVID-19 negatively impacted small businesses across Canada. Following the onset of the pandemic, Canada experienced a drastic drop in its real gross domestic product (GDP), with the economy contracting 18.2% between March and April 2020. From mid-January to mid-February 2021, Statistics Canada conducted the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions,…Read More
Women in recessions: What makes COVID-19 different? LMI Insight Report no. 39. Ottawa, ON: Labour Market Information Council.
Women have faced a disproportionate impact from COVID-19 on several fronts. First, women are overrepresented in some of the hardest-hit sectors, such as retail and accommodation and food services, that rely on face-to-face contact. Second, other employment vulnerabilities were also exposed by the pandemic. Women represent 58% of employment in low-income earning occupations and…Read More
Decoding global talent, onsite and virtual. Boston, MA: Boston Consulting Group.
This study of 209,000 people in 190 countries reveals significant shifts in attitudes and trends in global mobility, highlighting a decline in interest in migrating for work. In 2014, two–thirds of global respondents were willing to move to another country for work. In 2020, this number had declined to 50% due to nationalistic immigration policies and changes prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as…Read More
Public policy in a time of crisis: A framework for evaluating Canada’s COVID-19 income support programs. Canadian Public Policy.
This study evaluates Canadian income support programs introduced for workers during the first wave of COVID-19, specifically the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). The study uses a framework that proposes balancing efficiency, equity and voice (EEV) as the main objective of crisis labour market policies. The authors…Read More
Predicted earnings losses from graduating during COVID-19. Canadian Public Policy.
This paper explores how COVID-19 and the lockdown imposed to stop the spread of the virus have resulted in a significant decline in the labour market prospects of graduates otherwise poised to enter the market at a time when conditions were generally favourable. The authors predict that 2021 graduates will lose between 5%…Read More
Investing in a better future: Higher education and post-COVID Canada. Ottawa: Royal Society of Canada.
Key Takeaway: Investing in tomorrow’s workforce through adequate funding and support for the post-secondary education sector is critical. This report highlights how the pandemic has further stretched the already strained post-secondary education (PSE) sector’s resources and the need for long-term planning to invest in Canada’s future workforce. PSE is critical to socioeconomic mobility, a…Read More
Yesterday’s gone: Exploring possible futures of Canada’s labour market in a post-COVID world.
We are living in very uncertain times, which makes it critical to be prepared for the years to come. This report outlines eight “megatrends” and 34 related “meso” trends with the potential to impact the future of Canada’s labour market. Many of these trends have been intensified by COVID-19, while others have emerged as…Read More
Canadian field workers adjust to a new world of work.
This report looks at the changing world of work for Canadian field workers, defined as full-time or part-time employees who spend most if not all their workday in a non-office setting. Using PwC’s Canadian field worker study (conducted February 11–17, 2021), they find untapped potential in technology and upskilling for field workers, with more…Read More
The changing nature of work in Canada amid recent advances in automation technology. Catalogue no. 36-28-0001. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada, Statistics Canada.
This research explores the changing nature of work using a task-based approach. The authors compare the types of tasks required in given jobs, and the types of jobs available in the economy, to assess whether there was an increase in importance of tasks that cannot be automated. While analytical and interpersonal tasks have grown…Read More