Canada: Alberta Solicits Feedback on Aging Workforce

The Alberta Government has launched a public consultation on aging workforce, giving Albertans a chance to share their feedback on the issues and opportunities related to Alberta’s aging workforce. The consultation runs until December 14 and results will be compiled into a summary report to support the development of future policies.

According the consultation--"Alberta's Aging Workforce", Alberta and British Columbia are both facing labour supply challenges that are expected to intensify in the coming years; in Alberta, workers aged 45 and over account for more than one-third of the workforce. An accompanying discussion document ("Mature Workers in Alberta and British Columbia: Understanding the Issues and Opportunities") includes information from 14 large employer and labour groups plus small and medium-sized businesses in Alberta and B.C. This document is intended to be a resource for employers and policymakers in the public and private sectors, and it provides "a profile of mature workers in Alberta and B.C., factors that influence work decisions, and approaches taken by various stakeholders, governments and countries in response to the labour market challenges of an aging workforce."

Source: Government of Alberta News Release (October 23, 2007)

Other Sources: Edmomton Journal "Reports promotes keeping older workers on job" (October 23, 2007)

Canada: Federal-Provincial Partnerships To Help Retrain Unemployed Older Workers

The Canadian Deparemtn of Economic Development and British Columbia signed the Canada-British Columbia Agreement on the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW). This agreement will allow British Columbia communities to design and deliver projects and services that will help unemployed older workers retrain for new careers. It is anticipated that these community-based projects will help at least 1,200 workers in British Columbia to upgrade their skills, benefit from job counseling, and gain work experience.

Similarly, the Governments of Quebec and Canada will jointly contribute $568,000 to facilitate the reintegration into employment of older workers in the Centre-du-Québec region who have been affected by plant closures or downsizing, particularly in the furniture and clothing industries. According to the estimates of Emploi-Québec, which manages the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, this amount will help to reintegrate 72 older works into employment over the next few months.

Source: Government of Canada News Release (October 11, 2007); News Release (October 11, 2007)