Labour Market Resources

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Labour Market Resources

Sector Spotlights

Career Spotlights: Information & Technology Sector

Career Spotlights: Manufacturing Sector

Other Resources

  • Labour Market Realities: Navigating Outcomes of York Region’s Diverse Workforce
    This report examines the labour market circumstances and outcomes among different population categories of York Region residents using 2021 Census data.
  • How To Reduce Your Hiring Costs
    A guide about available tax credits, incentives, or training supports to help offset the financial costs of hiring new employees for your company.
  • Navigating Talent Attraction Shortages-Discussions with York Region Employers
    A report that provides insights into the challenges that businesses in York Region experience in their efforts to attract and retain qualified employees.
  • Skills Matrix
    A resource that identifies the skills sets required in in-demand occupations.
  • 2023 York Region Employer Survey on Hiring Practice
    The Workforce Planning Board of York Region administered an employer survey through February 2023. The focus of this survey was on recruitment challenges faced by employers, skill gaps and remote work. Survey findings indicate that employers have already practiced various types of job retention strategies, which have evolved as a consequence of the COVID experience.
  • Employment Goals & Job Search, Survey Findings of York Region Literacy & Basic Skills Clients
    In the fall of 2022, the Workforce Planning Board (WPB) of York Region, in partnership with York Region skills upgrading and literacy agencies, organized and delivered an online survey to literacy and basic skills clients (LBS) to better understand their employment goals and job search requirements.
  • 2021 York Region Employer Survey on Hiring Practices
    Through discussions with employer contacts and employment services partners in the late summer and fall of 2021, the Workforce Planning Board of York Region identified that employers faced challenges in the hiring of new staff for entry-level, mid-level and senior-level positions. Therefore, an employer survey was developed and executed in York Region in order to get a snapshot of current employer practices related to hiring, as well as to explore employer skill needs and to forecast the future reliance on remote work (working from home), all of which have been affected by the COVID pandemic.
  • 2021 York Region Job Seeker Survey
    The purpose of the survey was to get a picture of current local labour market dynamics, in terms of job searching. The results of the survey provide an insight into how jobseekers have been adjusting to the new labour market landscape during the pandemic. 1817 respondents visited the survey and four out five of them had either lost their job, were laid off temporarily, had their work hours reduced or left their job voluntarily during the pandemic or were not employed at the start of the pandemic. Around a third of them had changed their occupation as a result of the pandemic.
  • COVID-19 Impact on Employment in York Region
    While the COVID pandemic affected all of us and had an extraordinary impact on our economy, for individual businesses and employment, the fall-out was experienced in diverse ways and to varying degrees. Different establishments had varying proportions of essential workers as well as varying capacities to shift to remote work or delivering their products and services on-line. As a result, the range of coping strategies open to an employer varied by the size of their operation and by their industry. And while employers pivoted to on-line platforms or reliance on more employees working from home in response to the pandemic, some of these adaptations will likely continue even after this crisis has passed.
  • Profiling the Occupational Clusters in York Region
    This report provides a different lens through which to view York Region’s labour market. Having developed 14 occupational groupings that cluster jobs according to broad industry functions and the skill level required for those jobs, the report reveals a novel approach and provides an alternative way of thinking about the workforce and jobs to be found in York Region. To learn more watch the full webinar.
  • 2020 In-Demand Skilled Trades in York Region
    The Government of Ontario has made a clear commitment to attract more people to the skilled trades and to encourage more employers to hire apprentices. The Workforce Planning Board of York Region was invited to undertake an In-Demand Skilled Trades Project to provide local insights on labour market conditions for skilled trades in York Region and to obtain employer perspectives on the operations of the apprenticeship system. This report provides a summary of what we learned and includes a review of labour market statistics related to apprentices and journey persons, feedback from employer interviews and focus groups, as well as additional insights we gained from our research project.
  • Assessing the Costs and Impacts of Unemployment and Underemployment: The Case of York Region
    Unemployment has been shown to have long-term consequences for those who experience sustained periods out of work. Analysis from multiple jurisdictions, including Canada, demonstrate the impact of wage scarring on both individuals and the productivity of the economy. This is particularly true for youth who experience unemployment and underemployment early in their career.
  • 2018 GTA Employer Survey: Employment and Retention of Newcomers
    Given that a significant portion of the population in the Greater Toronto Area are new immigrants who settled in Canada less than five years ago, and that the Canadian labour market is increasingly relying on a diverse knowledge and skills base, it is important to understand the experience of employers when recruiting and retaining newcomers to Canada.
  • Retaining Employees in the Skilled Trades
    It is well known that the construction industry is facing labour supply issues and will continue to over the next decade. In its latest forecast, BuildForce is projecting that 91,100 skilled construction workers in Ontario are slated to retire within the next decade (more than 40,500 are coming from the Greater Toronto Area alone). This report and related activities are the first step in addressing retention and turnover of skilled construction workers.
  • Career Pathways Passport
    Good career decisions begin with an understanding of the labour market, job trends and the skills and competencies required to thrive in a rapidly-changing work environment. The Career Pathways Expo is a great opportunity to help students make informed choices. This guide navigates through a large variety of focus areas aligned with the SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major) opportunities in secondary school. It aims to provide students and parents with information on post-secondary options, including: Apprenticeship Training, College Programs, University Programs and Workplace Opportunities.
  • Skill Gaps, Labour Shortages and Challenged Job seekers in Key Employment Sectors of York Region (Full Report)
    The Workforce Planning Board, in partnership with York University, Seneca College and the Regional Municipality of York undertook a project to review three key employment sectors in York Region – Information and Communication Technology, Manufacturing and Financial Services. The purpose of the project included:
  • Determining the skills sets that employers require now and in the future in these three sectors
  • Identifying skill gaps that exist
  • Review challenged supply side (job seekers), specifically youth, displaced workers and internationally educated professionals who are job seeking
  • Make recommendations to address identified gaps that include partnering with business and education to close gaps
  • View the Executive Report
  • Jobs For Grads Report
    The Workforce Planning Board undertook a research project to gather information from youth (20-29 years of age) to analyse youth employment in York Region and Bradford West Gwillimbury. The goal was to identify the skill sets that youth are leaving post-secondary school with to enter the job market as well as gauge their utilization of Employment Ontario employment services during their job search.
  • Better Business Outcomes Through Workforce Security
    The labour market has changes and many workers today are in non-standard jobs. These changes have impacted both workers and businesses resulting in a growing issue of “insecure work”. This report produced in partnership by KPMG and United Way Toronto & York Region is a business case framework and provides employers the tools to assess their current practices, adjust these practices and improve the wellbeing of their non-standard workforce while improving their business results. These results may include increased productivity of workers, higher retention rates, reduced absenteeism and or improved customer service. These changes have the potential to drive broader social changes and provide the foundation for an improved economic climate for companies to operate within.
  • Online Job Posting and YR + BW Labour Market
    The Workforce Planning Board of York Region and BWG purchased a data set from job boards that collected information on online job postings about jobs located in York Region or Bradford West Gwillimbury. The report analyzes this data and seeks to answer questions about how the local job openings match the education profile of local residents, how these job postings match up with the career aspirations of local youth and how representative might the online job board data be of all local job openings.
  • On the Move Report 2014
    Ontario’s Central Region is economically dynamic and constantly on the move. This report provides statistical data demonstrating the ways in which its residents move. It includes information on migration (movement of residence), immigration (arrival from foreign countries) and commuting (travelling to and from work).
  • It’s More Than Poverty – Employment Precarity and Household Well-being
    A report that demonstrates how employment precarity greatly magnifies the difficulties of supporting a household and the insecurity has an effect on well-being and community connections regardless of income.
  • The Great Canadian Skills Mismatch People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People and More
    Dr. Rick Miner is the President of Miner and Miner, Ltd; a management consulting firm that focuses on current changes, problems and their solutions to the labour market in Canada. Dr. Miner is the former president of Seneca College in York Region from 2001 to 2009. He has published his analysis, “The Great Canadian Skills Mismatch: People without Jobs, Jobs without People and MORE”, March 2014. In this analysis, Dr. Miner discusses the multiple mismatches that exist in today’s labour market. Using a ‘what-if analysis’, the report investigates a variety of options to address these challenges.

Get detailed labour market information about prominent sectors in York Region. These reports can be used by employers, jobseekers, students, educators and the community to better understand the current and future workforce through a sector lens. They provide information on the hiring demand, job automation as well as retirement forecasts by occupation.

Note: Please be advised that the reports are interactive in nature, therefore some data might not be visible after printing.

Get detailed labour market information about careers in prominent sectors in York Region. This information session can be used by employers, jobseekers, students, educators and the community to better understand the current and future workforce needs in select sectors.

The Employment Ontario centres in York Region and the Workforce Planning Board of York Region partnered to organize a computer and information technology event for individuals considering a career in this sector or those who are currently working in this sector and would like to improve their skill set.

This recorded event is 1.5 hours in length, however we have identified where you can place your cursor depending on the portion of the event that is of interest to you.

Video Highlights

  • Overview of Employment Ontario Services – :1 sec
    Presented by Kayla Schie, Thornhill Employment Hub
  • Understanding the IT Sector in York Region – 2:27 sec
    Presented by Tina Stevens, WPBoard
  • Employer Discussion – 6:50 sec
    Moderated by Craig Striecker, President of Onico Solutions, an industry leader in IT Staffing and IT Resource Consulting Services.
    Presented by Jason Zweig, Partner, VP, Canadian Viewpoint Inc., a leading market research company in Canada.
    Presented by Chris Lomond Product Developer, Cachelan, designer of software to support solar farm owners manage, operate and get necessary financial data from system.
    Presented by Farial Karbasi – HR Manager & Financial controller, EDKENT Media, offers a full suite of web design, content marketing, Social media marketing and custom digital marketing services.
  • IT Trainer Discussion – 44:09 sec
    Moderated by Craig Striecker, President of Onico Solutions, an industry leader in IT Staffing and IT Resource Consulting Services.
    Sheryll Smith – Team Lead for Outreach and Engagement, NPower Canada, provides training in a 15-week program with industry certifications with job placement support and 5 years of alumni support.
    Martha Jez – Co-Founder/CEO, Fair Chance Learning, deliver industry-recognized certifications and in demand skills by employers.
    Manoj Bhattarai, Director of Employment and Immigrant Services, YMCA Greater Toronto, delivering an exciting new Bridging Program developed for internationally trained cloud computing and big data professionals in partnership with Seneca College.
  • Employment Ontario Subsidies for those looking to retrain for a new career – 1:17:37 sec
    Presented by Kayla Schie, Thornhill Employment Hub

Get detailed labour market information about careers in prominent sectors in York Region. These information sessions can be used by employers, jobseekers, students, educators and the community to better understand the current and future workforce needs in select sectors.

The Employment Ontario centres in York Region and the Workforce Planning Board of York Region partnered to organize an information session for individuals considering a career in Manufacturing or those who are currently working in this sector and would like to improve their skill set.

This recorded event is 1:06 hours in length, however we have identified where you can place your cursor depending on the portion of the event that is of interest to you.

Guest Speakers

Sarah Diluciano
HR Generalist

Sandra Whetham
Section Manager HR

Christine Sousa
HR Generalist

Patricia Giunta
Director of Operations

Susan Niczowski
President

Justin Galaski
Site Director, Manufacturing

Christina Carter
HR Manager

TS Tech Canada Inc
Clover Tool Manufacturing Ltd.
Canada Masq Corporation
Summer Fresh Salads
Apotex Inc.
Thermogenics Boilers Inc.

Video Highlights

  • What is Employment Ontario? – 1:02
  • What is the nature of your organization’s business? – 3:45
  • What types of employment opportunities exist in your company? – 19:16
  • What does the manufacturing sector look like in York Region? – 31:13
  • What is included in the compensation package that your organization offers? – 31:53
  • WORK IN YORK personal job portal – 42:58
  • What is the future for your company? – 43.32
  • Can you share an employee success story with us? – 47:38
  • Questions for Employers – 55:29
  • How can Employment Ontario support your job search? – 1:00:36

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