Province unveils plans to address worker shortages
Premier David Eby released a new skills training plan as ongoing labour shortages affecting nearly every industry impact British Columbians.
Cancelled ferries, higher prices as some hotels in Victoria offer free hotel rooms to lure workers, and beloved restaurants closing are all part of how residents are experiencing a lack of workers.
The premier is offering help for workforce woes --- in the form of a new skills training plan.
A key feature is a $3,500 future skills grant which covers most of the tuition for in-demand jobs in tech, construction and clean energy. 8,500 people are expected to be trained in the next three years.
Eby said the program would respond to labour demands.
"Let's say you're running an electrical installation firm and some of your electricians need additional training on installing electric car charging systems, they could take up this program as an employer, have those employees go and do this training program for free," Eby told reporters at a press conference in Vancouver.
Other measures include rapid response training, a re-education hub to allow people to train up for new jobs, linking schools to work opportunities and streamlining foreign credential recognition. There are also strategies to get more Indigenous people and others who face barriers trained and into the workforce. Another plank includes making post-secondary fees more affordable.
Coralee Oakes, the B.C. United critic for Advanced Education says one thing that's missing is immediate action.
"For that small business owner that has been waiting desperately, working seven days a week hoping that somebody will come in to support them in their small business. You know, they're concerned this isn't going to happen fast enough," Oakes added.
The critic would also like to see the funding formula for universities re-examined.
An estimated 135,000 jobs are currently unfilled across the province, according to the Canadian Federation for Independent Business.
Western Canadian economist Jairo Yunis said a recent survey found one in five businesses are considering shutting down due to the labour shortage, high interest rates and elevated inflation rates.
"Small businesses in B.C. say the labour shortages are the main factor impacting their growth," Yunis told CTV News.
Yunis added he also thought immediate relief was lacking, and he thought tax credits to recognize on-the-job training and to increase automation would help.
"Looking at reducing payroll costs would go a long way to kind of tackling the labor shortages issue," Yunis explained.
Critics say the plan doesn't address acute labour shortages in the service sector, and worry a lack of workers in construction could hinder housing -- which will be needed -- with a million job openings expected over the next decade.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Board orders deportation for trucker in horrific Humboldt Broncos crash
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
Group tied to Islamic State plotted fatal Ontario restaurant shooting: Crown
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
'A really bad car crash': Why health experts are raising concerns over surging syphilis cases
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Purolator truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. save man walking in Hwy. 407 lanes
A pair of Purolator transport truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in helping a person in crisis.
Trudeau responds to American senators calling on Canada to increase defence spending
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
Toddler dies after being struck by recycling truck in Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
Milk sold in Canadian grocery stores tested for avian influenza; results released
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.