HUMA Briefing binder: Appearance - Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion - April 25, 2022

1. Opening remarks (header not included in original binder)

Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you for inviting me here today. I’ll begin by acknowledging that I am joining you from the traditional territories of the Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations.

I also want to recognize our care economy workers – from doctors and nurses, to personal support workers and childcare workers, to those who take care of our family members at home. They have worked non-stop over the last 2 years, repeatedly putting themselves at risk, to care for others. For the hours they worked, the lives they saved, and the people they cared for, we will never be able to adequately thank them.

I also want to thank our colleague, Bonita Zarillo, for the motion to study this very important topic.

Pause

Our government is steadfast in its support for Canada’s caregivers. We are committed to growing this workforce to ensure that workers are skilled; jobs are filled; and every Canadian has the very best care.

I know the committee has heard from an extensive list of witnesses, and I commend you on your work. I look forward to your report.

Today, I am going to focus on the Care Economy - and share what we are doing to address labour shortages more generally.

This time last year, my focus was on finding jobs for workers, but these days my focus is on finding workers for jobs. Canada has record-low unemployment levels, with growth in many sectors outpacing employers’ ability to find workers. Canada’s care sector is one of many that is facing a labour shortage.

Our plan to address labour shortages includes:

• investing in the next generation of Canadian workers
• helping workers upskill to a changing labour market
• maximizing workforce participation
• welcoming talent from around the world, and
• addressing the needs of specific sectors

The care sector will benefit from each of these approaches.

Investing in Next Gen of Workers

Investing in the next generation of workers means supporting students and apprentices, and creating first work experiences.

Specific to the care economy, we know that many young doctors and nurses graduate with significant student loans to pay off. We also know that Canada’s more rural, remote areas do not attract medical professionals as our urban centres do.

So, in Budget 2022, we are proposing an investment of $26.2 million over 5 years to increase the forgivable amount of student loans for doctors and nurses who practice in rural and remote communities. In addition, the government will expand the current list of eligible professionals under the program and review the definition of rural communities. In 2019 to 2020, nearly 5,500 doctors and nurses benefited from the loan forgiveness program. With expanded eligibility, this is only expected to grow.

Skills training

With respect to skills training, we are working with employers, unions, and the Provinces and Territories to make training accessible for all workers, and help workers stay in the workforce longer.

Every year the federal government invests more than $3 billion in funding so the provinces and territories can provide training and employment support through the Labour Market Transfer Agreements.

These investments help more than 1 million Canadians each year prepare for their next job through programs ranging from skills training and wage subsidies, to career counselling and job search assistance.

We will renew this partnership with provinces and territories so that we can be more responsive to the needs of workers, businesses, and the economy.

And with Budget 2022, we are proposing to amend Part II of the Employment Insurance Act so more workers are eligible for help before they become unemployed, and employers can receive direct support to re-train their existing workforce.

This builds upon work which is already underway. During the pandemic, we partnered with Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) to provide free, accelerated training for 2,600 Supportive Care Assistants. This project offers a career pathway to become fully certified personal care workers, and provides much needed support to long-term care staff, as they receive training on the job.

Maximize workforce participation

Maximizing workforce participation is accessing untapped labour pools and removing the barriers that restrict workforce participation for many historically marginalized or disadvantaged groups. It is about making our workforce more diverse and inclusive.

One such example is persons with disabilities. The more than 6 million Canadians aged 15 and over that identify as having a disability represent a huge, untapped labour pool. Despite many being able and wanting to work, employment rates for persons with disabilities are much lower than those of Canadians without disabilities—59% versus 80%.

We aim to change this. Budget 2022 proposes to provide $272.6 million over 5 years to support the implementation of the Employment Strategy for Persons with Disabilities through the Opportunities Fund.

Talent from around the world

And as we tap into the talent pools that are within Canada, we also recognize the imperative of attracting workers to Canada, and supporting them to efficiently integrate into the labour market. It is also about having a fair and balanced temporary foreign workers program.

For example, internationally educated health professionals too often face challenges in getting their credentials recognized in Canada. So, we’re investing in projects that will help them put their education and skills to work sooner, caring for Canadians.

Budget 2022 proposes to provide $115 million over 5 years, with $30 million ongoing, to expand the Foreign Credential Recognition Program and help up to 11,000 skilled newcomers per year get their credentials recognized and find work in their field. The Program will continue to focus its efforts on supporting internationally educated health professionals to help build a strong, resilient workforce in Canada’s health care sector.

We are also modernizing the temporary foreign workers program. We recently introduced more flexibility into the program to help employers access workers more quickly and in a way that meets their needs. We are building upon this in Budget 2022 through the proposed Trusted Employer Program and a new Agriculture and Food Processors Stream to the program.

Specific sectors

And finally, we need to develop talent for emerging sectors and industries, and find sector-specific workforce and labour shortage solutions.

Specific to the care sector, we recently launched a Call for Proposals under the new Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program. Investing in the healthcare sector was a top priority for this Call, and we look forward to funding projects to help address challenges in the sector including labour mobility, mental health needs of the workforce, and integration of internationally-trained health professionals.

Conclusion

Mr. Chair, colleagues, our focus and investments are about making sure the care sector has all the support and human resources it needs to be the best it can be, and that we are addressing labour shortages with historic investments in people. We will continue these efforts.

Thank you. I look forward to your questions.

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2. Scenario note

1. Overview

You are appearing before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) as part of its Study on Labour Shortages, Working Conditions and the Care Economy.

2. Committee proceedings

• The appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 25, 2022, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m
• You will have up to 5 minutes for opening remarks
• You will be accompanied by:
  • Jean-François Tremblay, Deputy Minister
  • Andrew Brown, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch
  • Catherine Demers, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch
• HUMA Members Stephanie Kusie, Conservative Party of Canada, and Louise Chabot, Bloc Québécois, are the Employment and Workforce Development Critics; the following official Employment critic could replace the New Democratic member on the Committee and be present for your appearance:
  • Daniel Blaikie, New Democratic Party of Canada (Manitoba, Elmwood-Transcona)
• HUMA has agreed that questioning of witnesses would be allocated as follows:
  • round 1: 6 minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows:
    • Conservative Party
    • Liberal Party
    • Bloc Québécois
    • New Democratic Party
  • for the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows:
    • Conservative Party, 5 minutes
    • Liberal Party, 5 minutes
    • Bloc Québécois, 2.5 minutes
    • New Democratic Party, 2.5 minutes
    • Conservative Party, 5 minutes
    • Liberal Party, 5 minutes

3. Parliamentary environment

• Since March 3, 2022, the Committee has held 5 meetings on this Study, hearing testimony from ESDC officials, Statistics Canada, unions, stakeholders representing healthcare workers, personal health workers, and the construction and food industry
• A topic, which has been consistently raised by all parties is the temporary foreign worker program: how to modernize the program, how to better serve employers in Canada, how the program could be more responsive to employers and workers’ needs, how to better protect workers and how to provide new immigration options or pathways to citizenship
• The CPC is also interested in automation as a solution to labour shortages and how to better support small and medium sized businesses in this endeavour
• NDP Member Bonita Zarrillo is focussed on how federal strategies could support women, under-represented youth, including youth with disabilities, minorities, newcomers, pay equity, etcetera. She is requesting for data on a wide range of issues

Topics and party positions anticipated at HUMA

Budget 2022

Building the foundation for an Employment strategy for persons with disabilities:

NDP Member Zarrillo would support the implementation of an employment strategy for persons with disabilities. She has called for more measures to increase labour market participation by persons with disabilities and make workplaces more inclusive and accessible. However, she would likely ask why the Budget does not include funding to establish a Canada Disability Benefit for low-income working age persons with disabilities.

On the Employment Strategy, the NDP may ask if the decision to establish the strategy was based on data, how many would benefit and who would benefit the most amongst (disabled women, disabled youth, etcetera) and whether a gender-based analysis was completed. How will the Employment Strategy help those with chronic physical health conditions, mental health risks, and those at risk of homelessness?

Employment Insurance Modernization:

In general, media observed that the government had failed to deliver on its promise to modernize the Employment Insurance (EI) program in Budget 2022. BQ Member Louise Chabot can be expected to ask a question on this considering her unwavering interest on EI. She could question the value of recent consultations.

Training

• Information on new/successful ESDC pilot projects
• Is there any data about which industries are popular in microskilling and upskilling, and if there is any segregated data around gender race, and even age on upskilling and microskilling?
• Longer term solution is required: what is the Government doing to address the systemic labour shortage (wages, work conditions, safety, tap into long-term unemployed as well as other underutilized groups like older workers, immigrants, and youth, etcetera.)
• Student Loan Forgiveness for rural Doctors and Nurses: evidence or data this will become a popular incentive. Could this be offered to other areas-professions? It only applies to the federal portion of the student loan – do you have data on what it represents to a student, interest from the provinces or territories to offer the same incentive?

TFW Program

• The BQ or the CPC have recommended modernizing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to solve labour shortages
• On the changes announced on April 4, 2022, expanding the temporary foreign worker program to include 7 new sectors, they may ask what the Government intends to do to, in the longer term, to address the systemic labour shortage in areas of the economy
• NDP could argue that the federal government should focus on protecting temporary foreign workers
• BQ may bring up as the example the investigation by the Quebec Government into LTC facilities in Quebec where TFWs faced harassment, racism and were unpaid
• Time to do more for pathways to permanent residency and immigration options (open work permit), providing some stability to areas of the economy with chronic labour shortages

Collection of Questions from Opposition Members during the study

HUMA Meeting 1 March 3, 2022 Questions to Witnesses

Department of Employment and Social Development

CPC

• What more the department is doing to develop automation. What do you perceive is ESDC's role in stimulating automation to ease labour shortages?
• Are you aware of any incentives for industries or employers to automate that ESDC, in coordination with Innovation, Science and Economic Development, might have currently?
• Are there any programs available for automation in regard to skills development, be it programs for skills development to learn more about automation or incentives for automation in regard to skills development?
• I wanted to know where these 1 million new jobs that the government has repeatedly said have been created come from, please
• We frequently hear in the House of Commons that 1 million new jobs have been created by this government. Looking at the information, it seemed more to me like this was just the natural recovery of the job market through the recovery of the pandemic
• When the government talks about 106% employment, would you say that is from a reduced worker pool? The number would be higher because we have fewer employees now than we did at the beginning of the pandemic, since we've lost many to those, I'm trying to get an accurate reflection of the 106% employment that we are hearing the government has
• A common thread across all sectors (rural areas) is the need to augment and do an emergency temporary foreign worker program

BQ

• How do you collect data on labour shortages, both nationally and regionally?
• In Quebec, educational child care services are much broader than day care. It takes training and certain qualifications to get a position as an educator. So when you say there is a shortage in this sector, are you comparing the same type of job? Qualifications may be different from 1 location to the next
• On the pilot projects for long-term care and home support. I must admit that I really don't understand why the federal government is putting money into pilot projects for training care workers when training and education fall entirely under provincial jurisdiction. Wouldn't it be better to invest through Canadian health transfers to properly equip the provinces to deal with these issues?

NDP

• The biggest portion of new employees are youth, and I just wanted to ask some questions on that. Many of my questions today are going to gendered, because work is very gendered. I'm hoping that, through this study in this committee, we can remove some of the stigmas that go along with gendered work. For the youth, are there federal strategies for women and under-represented youth, including youth with disabilities, that are already in place? Are there some strategies?
• Are there data and disaggregated data collected to understand which industries, which channels—potentially gendered, age and race—are picking up in those programs?
• Is there data around youth, the labour market and housing?
• on to the difficulty keeping skilled workers due to poor working conditions. Again, this is a data question. Is there additional data or information on some of these problematic working conditions, and is there some disaggregated data, again, on that thinking about how work is so gendered?
• What tools does the federal government have to correct the pay equity gap, keeping in mind what I heard today around the child care pieces and that we're going to have to have a lot more child care workers? How can the federal government help with that pay inequity?
• Is there any data about which industries are popular in this microskilling and upskilling, and if there is any segregated data around gender race, and even age on upskilling and microskilling?

Business Development Bank of Canada

CPC

• Another interesting area we believe will help mitigate the labour shortage is automation. What could the government be doing to help incentivize automation, do you think? What incentives do they need to make automation a part of their business strategy?

Canadian Chamber of Commerce Canadian Labour Congress

BQ

• How do we modernize the TFWP? With respect to labour shortages in certain sectors, I think hiring temporary foreign workers is a big part of the solution, even if it is not a long-term solution. There are major problems with labour market impact assessments and work permits
• It was mentioned earlier that part of the solution was for manufacturers or small businesses to upgrade their equipment
• Given the labour shortage, shouldn't there be a focus on programs to support SMEs in the digital shift?

NDP

• Is disaggregated data collected around gender and race, and what is the fastest growing business type right now?
• Regarding the care economy commission you spoke of, I'm just wondering if you could share 1 or 2 things the members are speaking about that need to be an integral part of a commission like that

HUMA Meeting 2 March 21, 2022 Questions to Witnesses

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions/Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec /Service Employees International Union Healthcare/Canadian Association for Long Term Care\CHATS Community and Home Assistance to Seniors /Canadian Support Workers Association

CPC

• I'm more interested in what your 2 organizations are doing at the provincial and federal levels in trying to see if some of these issues can be worked back
• In terms of recognizing credentials across provinces, is there adequate recognition of credentials for nurses, and are we graduating enough nurses to really meet the demand? Would immigration be a way to meet this need?
• I would like your opinion as to why we were so woefully unprepared for such a tragedy that hit us
• There are so many Personal Support Workers (PSWs) having to take jobs in multiple long-term care homes in order to make do. What are some solutions to resolve this?
• Can you expand a bit on the importance of housing and Internet access, and on how this all ties together for rural Canada and even the Arctic? What can the federal government do to support rural long-term care access and aging at home?

BQ

• Don't you think that the request made by Quebec and the provinces to increase health transfers to 35% of costs would be a good way to steer our health care and social services systems in the right direction and to support workers?
• Can the federal government play a role in increasing training budgets and targets?
• Can you talk to us about your recommendation regarding immigration? According to 1 of your recommendations, there must be better support for families and community volunteers, in particular. There's also the contribution of family caregivers or informal caregivers. What have you seen? Are there ways to strengthen the role of these family caregivers?

NDP

• Traditional women's work has been undervalued for too long, and it is now moving into exploitation. That's no accident, based on long-standing gender discrimination, and it's even worse for intersectional women, immigrant women and women of colour. With care work making up 8% of GDP and with an aging population, the care economy has the potential to grow exponentially. We know that we need the workforce behind it. There's been some move toward privatization in this area. I would like to hear from each of the witnesses on how privatization has impacted the quality of care and the working conditions for the workforce in the care economy
• Going back to the data, around retention specifically, what kind of data should the federal government collect to highlight the reality of working conditions and gaps in compensation for PSWs and long-term care workers?

HUMA Meeting 3 March 28, 2022 Questions to Witnesses

Asst. Prof Naomi Lightman, Sociology, University of Calgary/Polytechnics Canada/Statistics Canada/Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence/Canadian Medical Association/Canadian Nurses Association

CPC

• Based on your gathering of information and evaluation of this information, what in your opinion do you believe is causing the increase in job vacancy rates?
• In my assessment, to decrease job vacancies we either need to add more people through immigration or develop more automation. What role do you see polytechnic schools playing in increasing automation and innovation? One issue we also see with automation is the high cost for small and medium-sized enterprises to enter into these automation initiatives. Would you have any suggestions, based upon the work of your students and faculty—and trends, once again—on how we could possibly lower these costs for business?
• Can you expand a bit on part-time versus full-time unemployment rates? Is there a difference between rural and urban areas?
• On nurses, if we look at all of the issues, why have they not been addressed? They've been known for a long time, but nothing seems to have been done. Is it a lack of money or a lack of political will? What do you think?
• What are the biggest barriers to getting more doctors in Canada, which is clearly what we need? Is it credential recognition? Is it financial donations from the federal government? What is the barrier?

BQ

• “Job vacancies in the fourth quarter rose 80% compared with pre-pandemic levels, reflecting broad based increases across [...] industrial sectors.” Do you have disaggregated data to share with us? Which industrial sectors are you talking about? Do you have data broken down by province or territory?
• Regarding the higher proportion of Black and Filipino people among care workers, is it possible to get that information broken down? When you talk about care assistants, we would like to know exactly what you mean, because there are many designations. In Quebec, for example, orderlies have qualified training. Does this mean that there are Black and Filipino workers in those positions without qualified training?
• Restoring the balance between the federal and provincial share of health care spending is imperative, because we see that the federal share is decreasing. The federal share of funding used to be 50%, but now it is 22%. Furthermore, the federal government is not making any commitments. Currently, the federal government commits to giving 1-time payments to meet specific needs, but these are not recurring or predictable amounts of money
• Do you agree that the best solution is bring up health care funding to at least 35%, with no strings attached? That would support workers
• Could the federal government find tax solutions to encourage retired workers to return to work?

NDP

• Could I have a little bit more information on the challenges of having credentials recognized and the limitations that keep them in these precarious jobs?
• I also want to touch on the points you made about systematic exclusion from decision-making and also the lack of mental health support. I really want to understand if there any types of supports for these women and these workers who have precarious immigration status as well
• Why don't we capture this over-indexed women's work? Are there plans in place to start measuring the care economy in a greater and more granular way?

HUMA Meeting 4 March 31, 2022 Questions to Witnesses

Atkinson Foundation/Canadian Dental Association/Canadian Mental Health Association/Canadian Home Builders' AssociationWest End Home Builders' Association (Hamilton-Halton)/Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec/Food and Beverage Canada

CPC

• You talked about the shortage of dental assistants to service the needs of the existing burden on the dental care system. In light of the NDP-Liberal plan to make a national dental care program, which would add people who aren't covered today, do you have the adequate resources to do that plan, and if not, how are we going to get them?
• I saw that Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) did a study with University of British Colombia (UBC) that said 41% of people in Canada have reported a decline in their mental health since the onset of the pandemic. That is what you said. Do we know what the impact of this greater number of mental health problems was on employment? I would expect that people might have missed work. Do we have any quantitative measures about that?
• Would you agree that we need to fix the structural problem of health care and not just throw more money at it, which is so often the call of everyone we talk to about how to fix health care?
• Why did you and these other organizations come together to develop the emergency foreign worker program proposal? Do these organizations believe the government is doing enough at the moment to mitigate labour shortages in the farming and food processing industries?
• How would you say these labour shortages impact the supply and cost of groceries/housing for Canadians?
• My understanding from reading the documentation you provided is that you first asked the provincial and federal ag ministers for the emergency foreign worker program in late November. When I met with the Exceldor and Maple Leaf Foods, who both have processing plants in my riding, the initial ask was to have that program in place by 31 January. Have you received any indication from either Minister Bibeau or Minister Qualtrough why that ask was not met by the end of January?

BQ

• From a broader perspective, do you have any observations about the impact of labour shortages on the Canadian economy? What solutions could be considered?
• Do you believe that the participation of temporary foreign workers can be a solution to the labour shortage?
• As far as mental health is concerned, I have a better understanding of what is happening in Quebec. All community mental health groups report to the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services for funding. These community groups in Quebec provide a complementary service to the public service offer. So they play an important role. You know that Quebec and the provinces are asking the federal government for increased health funding. Do you agree that our health care systems should be better funded?
• In terms of the labour shortage (dental hygienists) , can you break that down by region or by province? Is the labour shortage uniform across the country or do some provinces have different problems?
• What we're pleased to see, federally, is that the food manufacturing sector has been included in Canada's critical infrastructure sector. In this regard, you have illustrated the problems you are experiencing. For example, the problems associated with the issuance of labour market impact assessments, or LMIAs, are hurting many companies. As members of Parliament, we need to look at this. I know that you sent the minister an emergency program before the holidays to remedy the situation of temporary foreign workers. It is now April. Have you received any clear answers regarding this emergency program? Have any solutions been put in place?

NDP

• My question is around the comments that were made around temporary agencies and on-demand apps. You mentioned the misclassification of workers and the risks of these agencies and on-demand apps. Could you elaborate on that a little bit, please?
• I heard about retirements quite a bit in the testimony. Maybe each of the witnesses could talk about their industry and retirements, and whether there was planning 5 years or a decade before. If there was planning around retirements, why are local workers not backfilling? Why are some of these jobs not getting backfilled by local workers and how did we get to the point where we're relying so heavily on foreign workers?

3. ESDC Programs

**ESDC programs that address the labour shortages, working conditions and care economy issue, including a disability caregiver angle

Apprenticeship and sectoral initiatives (SEB)

Program description

Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP) - helps employers and workers by supporting key sectors of the economy implement solutions to address current and emerging workforce needs.

The SWSP funds organizations to deliver sectoral projects that focus on a range of industry-driven activities such as training and reskilling workers, helping employers retain and attract a skilled and diverse workforce, and other creative solutions to help sectors address labour market needs. This will help employers find skilled workers and connect Canadians with the training they need to access good jobs in key sectors. The program will also support equity-deserving groups by promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce and providing wrap-around supports as needed to those facing barriers to participation.

The SWSP Call for Proposals that closed on March 18, 2021 focused on the following 3 priorities: building talent for the clean economy, investing in the health sector, and supporting demand-driven solutions for sectors hardest hit by the pandemic and those key to recovery.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

Budget 2021 announced $960M over 3 years beginning in 2021 to 2022 for the new SWSP.

Targeted population

• Workers and unemployed —with a particular focus on equity-deserving groups including women, persons with disabilities, newcomers, LGBTQ2+, Indigenous peoples and racialized communities, including Black Canadians
• Employers—with a particular focus on small and medium-sized employers

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

• Target: up to 30,000 individuals receiving training through the program annually. Of these, up to 40% from equity-deserving groups
• Target: up to 35,000 employers accessing or using program outputs annually

Program description

Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) - supports the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding provinces and territories (P/Ts), regulatory authorities and organizations to improve foreign credential recognition processes (FCR); provide loans and support services to help skilled newcomers navigate FCR processes; and provide employment supports (for example, work placements, mentoring) to help skilled newcomers fully use their talent.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

The FCRP is currently investing over $22 million in 20 projects focusing on the labour market integration of internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs)

Budget 2022 proposes to provide an additional $115 million over 5 years, with $30 million ongoing, to expand the FCRP with an initial focus on supporting IEHPs integrate into the Canadian labour market

Targeted population

Skilled newcomers to Canada

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

Current projects will provide direct employment supports to over 8,400 newcomers. Several thousand more will benefit from foreign credential recognition systems improvements Budget 2022 announcement would benefit up to 11,000 skilled newcomers per year

Program description

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program (STAR) - encourages Canadians – particularly those facing barriers, such as women, Indigenous peoples, youth, newcomers, persons with disabilities and visible minorities – to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades. The objectives of the Program are to build awareness of the trades as viable, good quality careers; help equip individuals with the skills and supports they need to pursue a career in the skilled trades; and provide opportunities to explore the trades. Activities funded under the STAR Program include:

• career exploration opportunities to support well-informed career decisions (for example, through career fairs, mentorship, in school introduction, job shadowing, simulators and mobile training)
• skills training to better prepare individuals for success (for example, skills for success, formerly known as essential skills training and safety certification)
• work experience to offer hands-on job experience and connections with employers (for example, work placements to increase awareness of the trades and get hands-on experience)

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$10 million annually, ongoing

Targeted population

Equity-deserving groups such as, women, Indigenous peoples, youth, newcomers, persons with disabilities and visible minorities, etc.

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

3,056 individuals in 2019 to 2020

Program description

The Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) - provides funding to support union-based apprenticeship training and enhanced partnerships in the Red Seal trades through 2 streams of funding:

• Stream 1 (Investments in Training Equipment) provides unions with up to 50% of the cost of new, up-to-date training equipment and materials that meet industry standards or investments in technology in Red Seal trades, and
• Stream 2 (Innovation in Apprenticeship) provides support for innovative approaches and enhanced partnerships to address long-standing challenges limiting apprenticeship outcomes

For both streams, priority is given to projects that target the participation and success of equity-deserving groups (such as, youth, women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities, and visible minorities); and involve broad-based partnerships with employers, community and non-profit groups, training providers, provinces and territories, Indigenous communities, colleges, etcetera.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$25 million annually, ongoing

Budget 2022 announced $84.2 million over 4 years, beginning in 2022 to 2023, to double funding for the UTIP

Targeted population

Equity-deserving groups such as, women, Indigenous peoples, youth, newcomers, persons with disabilities and visible minorities, etcetera.

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

24,267 individuals between UTIP’s inception in 2017 until March 2020

An estimated 3,500 new individuals per year, beginning in 2023 to 2024, are expected to benefit from the additional funding

Program description

The Apprenticeship Service (AS) - aims to help up to 55,000 first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades connect with job opportunities with small and medium-sized employers. Small and medium-sized employers will be able to get up to $5,000 for each first-year apprentice they hire in an eligible Red Seal trade. To support increased diversity in the Red Seal trades, this incentive is doubled to $10,000 if the apprentice hired is from an equity-deserving group – specifically, women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, members of the LGBTQ2+ communities, newcomers and visible minorities. In addition to financial incentives, employers will be able to access other supports, such as welcoming workplace training, making it easier for them to hire first-year apprentices.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$470 million over 3 years, beginning in 2021 to 2022.

Targeted population

Small and medium-sized employers who hire new, first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades.

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

The Apprenticeship Service aims to help up to 55,000 apprentices connect with job opportunities over 3 years.

Temporary foreign workers (SEB)

Program description

Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program - seeks to provide employers with timely access to temporary foreign workers and to help them remain competitive by filling labour shortages on a temporary basis when Canadian citizens or permanent residents are not available.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

• 2022 to 2023: $100.5 million
  • $18.6 million G and Cs
  • $81.9 million Operating
• *Budget 2021 funding for the Migrant Worker Support Ne2rk
• 2022 to 2023: $21.5 million
• 2023 to 2024: $20.4 million
• Sunsetting end of 2023 to 2024

Targeted population

• Canadian employers
• Temporary Foreign Workers

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

In 2021, about 32,000 unique employers submitted LMIAs for approximately 15, 600 positions.

Employment program policy and design (SEB)

Program description

Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities - assists persons with disabilities in overcoming barriers to participation and advancement in the Canadian labour market, and helps employers create accessible and inclusive workplaces.

The Opportunities Fund supports third-party organizations in providing a wide range of activities, including job search supports, skills development, wage subsidies for job seekers with disabilities, awareness initiatives to encourage employers to hire persons with disabilities, and various physical and non-physical workplace supports. Third-party organizations may also provide training, mentoring, coaching and other supports to help persons with disabilities who are employed advance in their careers.

The program includes both a national and a regional stream. National projects operate in 3 or more provinces and support both participant-centered and employer-centered projects. Regional projects focus exclusively on participant-based interventions. There are currently 80 active projects - 64 active regional projects and 16 active national projects.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$40 million per year in annual funding (expanded to $105 million for 2021 to 2022)

Budget 2022 provides $272.6 million over 5 years to support the implementation of an Employment Strategy for Canadians with disabilities through the Opportunities Fund, starting in 2022 to 2023

Targeted population

• Persons with Disabilities
• Employers

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

In 2021 to 2022, the Opportunities Fund expects to serve about 4,000 beneficiaries.

Program description

Skills for Success Program (formerly called the Literacy and Essential Skills Program) - helps all Canadians, including under-represented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, women, persons from official language minority communities and racialized Canadians improve their skills so that they can better prepare for, get and keep a job, and adapt and succeed at work.

The program funds organizations to design and deliver training to enhance foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy, as well as transferable skills such as communication and problem solving. This could include a range of supports such as helping employers deliver training to increase the communication and teamwork skills of their employees, or community organizations looking to strengthen basic skills of marginalized groups. Additionally, funding will support the creation of assessment tools and training resources that will be made available online to all Canadians at no cost.

Budget 2021 invested an additional $298 million over 3years in the Skills for Success program with the goal of helping approximately 90,000 Canadians improve their foundational and transferable skills so that they can obtain new training and work opportunities which can lead to good quality jobs.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

2021 to 2022: $85 million

2022 to 2023: $129 million

2023 to 2024: $149 million

* Budget 2021 funding under the new Skills for Success program is scheduled to sunset in 2023 to 2024

*Approximately $25 million per year is ongoing in perpetuity

Targeted population

50% of the program's funding Budget 2021 will support under-represented groups, and of this:

• 10% of funding will specifically be used to support persons with disabilities, and
• 20% to support racialized Canadians

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

Between 2021 to 2022 and 2023 to 2024, approximately 90,000 Canadians will have been given the opportunity to improve their foundational and transferable skills to better prepare for, get and keep a job, and adapt and succeed at work.

Program description

Women’s Employment Readiness Pilot Program - funds organizations to test new ways to provide pre-employment and skills training supports to women facing barriers to work, including women with disabilities. The pilot also will include employers and test new ways to improve workplace inclusivity for the target groups so that systemic barriers are removed.

Results of the pilot will be used to inform systemic changes to skills and employment programming to better serve women and improve their labour market outcomes.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

2020 Fall Economic Statement:

• 2021 to 2022: $50 million
• 2022 to 2023: $50 million

Targeted population

• Women
• Employers

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

Results of the pilot will be used to inform systemic changes to skills and employment programming to better serve women and improve their labour market outcomes.

Program Description

Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDAs) & Workforce Development Agreements (WDAs) - The Government of Canada’s largest investment in training is through the bilateral labour market transfers with PTs, which comprise the LMDAs and WDAs. Each year, the Government of Canada provides over $3 billion for individuals and employers to receive training and employment supports. More than a million training and employment supports are offered to individuals and employers under these agreements annually.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

Each year, the Government of Canada provides approximately $3.4 billion through these agreements

This includes additional investments of $2.7 billion ($1.8 billion for LMDAs and $900 million for WDAs), over 6 years, which started in 2017 to 2018. This funding ends in 2022 to 2023

In 2020 to 2021, an additional $1.5 billion was provided via the WDAs to address labour market pressures as a result of the pandemic

Targeted population

LMDA: eligible unemployed individuals – including current and former EI claimants, as well as individuals who have made minimum EI premium contributions in at least 5 of the last 10 years – to gain skills and work experience through programming such as skills training and wage subsidies

WDA: all individuals entitled to work in Canada regardless of employment status, including those that have no ties to the EI program; includes specific funding targeted for persons with disabilities, and support for members of underrepresented groups

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

More than a million individuals a year receive training and employment supports funded by these bilateral transfers

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than half a million individuals received training and employment supports while they were receiving federal emergency benefits (Canada Emergency Response Benefits and/or Canada Recovery Benefits)

Youth and skills innovation (SEB)

Program description

Future Skills - Launched in February 2019, Future Skills is part of the Government of Canada’s plan to help prepare Canadians for jobs of the future. The initiative mobilizes action amongst public, private, labour, education and training providers, Indigenous and not-for-profit organizations. It aims to ensure that Canada’s skills policies and programs adapt and meet the evolving needs of jobseekers, workers and employers within a changing world of work. With 50% of funding committed to address the needs of under-represented groups and 20% dedicated towards youth, it has a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

As part of the initiative, the Future Skills Centre (FSC) was created to be an independent innovation and applied research centre that identifies emerging skills trends, tests new approaches to skills assessment and development, and disseminates evidence widely to inform future programming. So far, it has produced over 70 research reports and supported over 160 innovation projects to test new approaches to training and skills development. These projects are helping to build the evidence base about what works for whom and under what conditions.

Given that skills development is an area of shared jurisdiction between federal, provincial and territorial governments, collaboration with and across governments is key to support the integration of evidence generated through the initiative into policy development and program design to deliver better results for Canadians. ESDC is working with the Forum of Labour Market Ministers to support P/Ts involvement in Future Skills, which is integral to the initiative’s success.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$225 million over 4 years, starting in 2018 to 2019, and $75 million per year thereafter

Targeted population

• Jobseekers
• Workers
• Employers
• Under-represented groups, such as Youth, Indigenous peoples, Persons with Disabilities, Black and other racialized groups, newcomers, etc.
• Business and industry associations
• Education and training providers
• Indigenous organizations and groups
• Labour associations and unions
• Not-for-profit organizations
• Academics

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

To date over 10,000 individuals received training, skills development and on-the-job work experiences.

Program description

Community Workforce Development Program – announced in Budget 2021, it is a new pilot program that will test innovative community-based approaches to help communities recover and improve resiliency through workforce planning and skills training, with a focus on addressing the needs of under-represented groups.

The Community Workforce Development Program will support communities to develop local plans that identify high growth areas and connect employers with training providers to upskill and reskill jobseekers to fill current and emerging jobs. Funding will be delivered under 2 streams to address regional and national priorities, including decarbonisation and supporting a just transition for workers in transforming sectors.

Through local economic diversification efforts, communities will build resiliency contributing to sustainability.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$55 million over 3 years starting in 2021 to 2022, with 2 years of contributions funding (2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024)

Targeted population

• Jobseekers
• Workers
• Employers (with a focus on SMEs)

75% of funding will be dedicated to addressing the needs of under-represented groups

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

2,500 jobseekers, 250 employers and 25 communities

Indigenous affairs directorate (SEB)

Program description

The Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program - a distinctions-based labour market program designed to support First Nations, Inuit, Metis and Urban/Non-affiliated Indigenous peoples improve their skills and meet their long-term career goals. The Program’s goal is to help reduce the skills and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

The ISET Program funds a wide range of labour market activities, including locally designed programs in support of each distinctions-based labour market strategy. Indigenous service delivery organizations can provide employment-related and career development assistance; wrap-around supports such as living expenses; coaching and mentorship; and disability-related supports. Service delivery organizations have the autonomy to decide of their own priorities and the flexibility to design programming to meet the needs of their people and communities.

The program funds a ne2rk of over 110 Indigenous service delivery organizations with over 650 points of service to provide Indigenous peoples with training and supports to improve their skills and secure employment.

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

In 2018, an investment of $2 billion over 5 years and $408.2 million per year ongoing was made to support the creation of the ISET Program:

• First Nations stream: $1.1 billion over 5 years and $235.7 million per year ongoing
• Metis Nation stream: $325 million over 5 years and $67 million per year ongoing
• Inuit stream: $161.2 million over 5 years and $32.6 million per year ongoing
• Urban/Non-affiliated stream: $213.4 million over 5 years and $45.2 million per year ongoing

An additional $144.2 million was announced for 1 year (2021 to 2022) in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement for the ISET ne2rk to:

• Increase support to Indigenous youth, persons with disabilities, clients living out of territory/in urban areas
• Enhance capacity of service delivery organizations, and
• Expand Indigenous Labour Market Information Survey and Skills Inventory Pilot

Targeted population

Indigenous peoples

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

Between the launch of the ISET in April 2019 and January 2022, 104,223 clients were served, with 40,459 finding employment and 12,283 returning to school.

Program description

The Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF) - a project-based program that funds partnerships between Indigenous organizations and industry employers to provide skills training for Indigenous peoples linked to economic opportunities at the local, regional and national level.

By increasing access to training that is demand-driven, the SPF plays a key role in directly linking Indigenous peoples to specific jobs and improving their employment outcomes. The SPF aims to reduce the skills and employment gaps that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and increase Indigenous participation in the labour market by ensuring Indigenous participants have improved skills and employment opportunities.

SPF focuses on training Indigenous peoples for industry-identified, specific jobs that align with emerging labour market needs and government priorities. SPF funds Indigenous labour market development activities that:

• respond to economic and partnership opportunities with targeted labour force development initiatives
• demonstrate partnership with the private sector, not-for-profit, and/or public

Funding amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

$50 million per year

Targeted population

• Indigenous peoples
• Indigenous organizations

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

There have been a total of 4 calls for proposals since SPF was created in 2010, leading to 130 funded projects. A fifth call for proposals is currently open until May 9th, 2022

Between the launch of SPF in April 2010 and January 2022, 46,429 clients were served, with 18,937 finding employment and 2,832 returning to school

Early learning and child care (SSPB)

Program description

The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Program - aims to ensure that all families have access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive early learning and child care no matter where they live.

Through the Canada-wide ELCC agreements, all P/Ts have committed to bringing fees for regulated child care down to $10-a-day on average across Canada by March 2026. By the end of 2022, P/Ts will reduce average fees for regulated early learning and child care by 50%. Within the agreements, P/Ts have committed to building over 250,000 new high-quality child care spaces by the end of fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

The Government of Canada has signed agreements with every P/T to deliver a Canada-wide ELCC system. Nearly all of Canada’s P/Ts have announced reductions in regulated child care fees.

By enabling parents, and especially mothers, to enter, maintain and re-enter the job market, this investment will contribute to increased household income and spending capacity. Investing in early learning and child care offers a jobs-and-growth hat trick:

• it provides jobs for workers, the majority of whom are women
• it enables parents, particularly mothers, to reach their full economic potential, and
• it creates a generation of engaged and well prepared young learners

Early Childhood Educators

Supporting the valuable work of early childhood educators is key to the success of a high-quality child care system, especially one which will expand the number of spaces across the country.

With P/T partners, the Government is working to ensure that early childhood educators are at the heart of the system, by valuing their work and providing them with the training and development opportunities needed to support their growth and the growth of a quality system of child care.

Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund

To support the implementation of the Canada-wide ELCC system, Budget 2022 has proposed infrastructure funding to enable provinces and territories to make additional child care investments, including the building of new facilities.

Funding Amount *please indicate if funds are sunsetting

Over $27 billion for P/Ts over 5 years

Combined with other investments, including Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, up to $30 billion over 5 years will be provided in support of early learning and child care

Combined with previous investments announced since 2015, this means that as of 2025 to 2026, a minimum of $9.2 billion will be provided every year -permanently- for ELCC and Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care

The Government of Canada provided $420 million in 2021 to 2022 for P/Ts to attract and retain these workers through initiatives such as grants and bursaries for students studying early childhood education

Budget 2022 proposes to provide $625 million over 4 years, beginning in 2023 to 2024, to ESDC for an ELCC Infrastructure Fund

Targeted population

• Women
• Parents/caregivers
• Indigenous peoples
• Children or youth
• Children with disabilities
• Early Childhood Educator Workforce

Number of [potential] beneficiaries

N/A

4. Mandate Letter Tracker (including key messages) (header not included in original binder)

1. Canada Training Benefit

• Canada Training Benefit progress to date
• Canada Training Benefit next steps

2. Transition to a low carbon economy

• Low carbon economy progress to date
• Low carbon economy next steps

3. Clean Jobs Training Centre

• Clean Jobs progress to date
• Clean Jobs next steps

4. Sustainable battery industry opportunities

• Sustainable battery progress to date
• Sustainable battery next steps
• Sustainable battery if pressed

5. Double the Union Training and Innovation Program

• Union Training and Innovation program progress to date
• Union Training and Innovation Program next steps
• Union Training and Innovation Program if pressed

6. Canadian Apprenticeship Service

• Apprenticeship Service progress to date
• Apprenticeship Service next steps
• Apprenticeship Service if pressed

7. National campaign to promote skilled trades

• Skilled trades progress to date
• Skilled trades next steps
• Skilled trades if pressed

8. Foreign Credential Recognition

• Foreign Credentials progress to date
• Foreign Credentials next steps

9. Trusted Employer system

• (1) Trusted Employer progress to date
• (1) Trusted Employer next steps
• (1) Trusted Employer if pressed
• (2) Permit renewals and employer hotline progress to date
• (2) Permit renewals and employer hotline next steps

10. Sector-based Work Permits and Inspections

• Sector Based Work Permits and Inspections progress to date
• Sector Based Work Permits and Inspections next steps
• Sector Based Work Permits and Inspections if pressed

11. Agricultural Labour Strategy

• Agri Labour Strategy progress to date
• Agri Labour Strategy next steps
• Agri Labour Strategy if pressed

12. Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, wrap-around supports

• Sectoral Workforce Solutions progress
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions next steps
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions if pressed

13. 50,000 new personal support workers

• Personal support workers progress to date
• Personal support workers next steps
• Personal support workers if pressed

14. Interest on Canada Student Loans, Canada Apprentice Loans

• Interest on student loans progress to date
• Interest on student loans next steps
• Interest on student loans if pressed

15. Repayment Assistance threshold for Canada Student Loan borrowers

• Repayment threshold progress to date
• Repayment threshold next steps
• Repayment threshold if pressed

16. Supporting access to healthcare in rural communities

• Supporting access to healthcare in rural communities progress to date
• Supporting access to healthcare in rural communities next steps
• Supporting access to healthcare in rural communities if pressed

17. New parents, repayment of federal student loans

• New parents loans progress to date
• New parents loans next steps

18. Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities

• Employment Strategy progress to date
• Employment Strategy next steps
• Employment Strategy if pressed

19. Disability Inclusion Action Plan

• Disability Inclusion Action Plan progress to date
• Disability Inclusion Action Plan next steps

20. Canada Disability Benefit

• Canada Disbility Benefit progress to date
• Canada Disability Benefit next steps
• Canada Disability Benefit if pressed

21. Access to federal disability programs

• Access to federal disability programs progress to date
• Access to federal disability programs next steps
• Access to federal disability programs if pressed
• Mental health as related to persons with disabilities if pressed

22. Capacity in national disability organizations

• Capacity in national disability organizations progress to date
• Capacity in national disability organizations next steps

23. Access for Canadians with print disabilities

• Print disabilities progress to date

24. Accessible Canada Act and accessibility standards

• Accessibility standards progress to date
• Accessibility standards next steps

25. Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit

• Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit progress to date
• Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit next steps

26. EI system for the 21st century

• EI system progress to date
• EI system next steps
• Supporting digital platform workers if pressed
• Seasonal worker pilot if pressed
• Paid family leave if pressed

27. 15-week benefit for adoptive parents

• Adoptive parents progress to date
• Adoptive parents next steps
• Adoptive parents if pressed

28. EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks

• Sickness benefits progress to date
• Sickness benefits next steps

29. EI benefit for self-employed

• Self-employed progress to date
• Self-employed next steps

30. EI Career Insurance Benefit

• Career Insurance Benefit progress
• Career Insurance Benefit next steps
• Career Insurance Benefit if pressed

31. Artists and cultural workers

• Artists and cultural workers progress to date
• Artists and cultural workers next steps
• Artists and cultural workers if pressed

32. Gender Based Analysis (GBA) Plus

• GBA Plus progress to date
• GBA Plus next steps
• Status of previous mandate letter commitments
• Support workers whose work has been interrupted by public health measures
• Build a better, more inclusive employment insurance system
• Build back better by supporting students and adult learners
• Advance Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan

5. Main Estimates Qs and As (header not included in original binder)

Official title: Questions and Answers (Qs and As) for the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Appearance before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) - Labour Shortages, Working Conditions and the Care Economy - House of Commons - April 25, 2022

Q1. What programs in the 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates for Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) address the labour shortages, working conditions and care economy issue?

A1. The following programs, included in ESDC’s Main Estimates, address labour shortages, working conditions and care economy issue (including a disability caregiver angle):

Note 1: Operating amounts exclude indirect costs reported under Internal Services and exclude statutory costs. In addition, ESDC’s Main Estimates exclude planned spending funded from the Employment Insurance Operating Account and the Canada Pension Plan, as well as Budget 2022 measures.

Note 2: Amounts from the 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates for Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program exclude $3.2 million in operating expenditures and $19.4 million in Pan-Canadian activities funded from the Employment Insurance Operating Account.

Note 3: Planned spending related to the Women’s Employment Readiness Pilot Program, normally presented under Skills for Success, is presented separately. In addition, amounts from the 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates for Skills for Success exclude $1.0 million in operating expenditures and $6.2 million in Pan-Canadian activities funded from the Employment Insurance Operating Account.

Note 4: Labour Market Developments Agreements are entirely funded from the Employment Insurance Operating Account: $195.2 million in operating expenditures and $2,375.0 million in employment benefits provided to provinces and territories.

Note 5: Amounts from the 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates for Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program exclude $4.6 million in operating expenditures and $124.6 million in Pan Canadian activities funded from the Employment Insurance Operating Account.

6. Committee Profile (March 2022)

Official title: Committee Profile (March 2022) - House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA).

Table of contents

• HUMA Membership
• Chad Collins (LPC)
• Michael Coteau (LPC)
• Wayne Long (LPC)
• Soraya Martinez Ferrada (LPC)
• Robert (Bobby) J. Morrissey (LPC)
• Tony Van Bynen (LPC)
• Marilyn Gladu (CPC)
• Ron Liepert (CPC)
• Stephanie Kusie (CPC)
• Alex Ruff (CPC)
• Bonita Zarrillo (NDP)
• Louise Chabot (BQ)

Liberal Party of Canada

• Chad Collins, Ontario
• Michael Coteau, Ontario
• Wayne Long, New Brunswick
• Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Québec, PS for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Housing)
• Robert (Bobby) J. Morrissey, Prince Edward Island
• Tony Van Bynen, Ontario

Conservative Party of Canada

• Marilyn Gladu, Ontario
• Ron Liepert, Alberta
• Stephanie Kusie, Alberta, Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Critic
• Alex Ruff, Ontario

New Democratic Party of Canada

• Bonita Zarrillo, British Columbia, Disability Inclusion Critic

Bloc Québécois

• Louise Chabot, Québec, Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Critic

Committee members biography (header not included in original binder)

• 

  Chad Collins Liberal Party Hamilton East—Stoney Creek - Ontario

  Brief biography

  Chad Collins was first elected to the House of Commons for Hamilton East - Stoney Creek on September 20, 2021. A lifelong resident of Hamilton East - Stoney Creek, Chad resides in the Davis Creek area with his wife Mary and 2 children, Chase and Reese. He attended Glendale Secondary School, the University of Western Ontario, and McMaster University. Chad was first elected to City Council in 1995, at the age of 24, making him one of the youngest elected representatives in the City's history.

  Chad is passionate about engaging local residents and community stakeholders, focusing on revitalization of infrastructure, development of social housing and stream-lining municipal programs.

  As President of City Housing Hamilton, Chad has been committed to addressing the City's aging affordable housing stock by pressuring all levels of government to invest in the much needed repair of over 7,000 publicly owned units. He continues to work on nearly a dozen new projects across the City and in the riding that will provide new affordable housing units to those in need.

  From the creation and development of new community parks and trails to the opening of a new food bank, Chad knows community consultation is an integral part of improving quality of life for everyone in Hamilton East - Stoney Creek.

  Of note:

  • Key issues of interest:
    • affordable housing
• 

  Michael Coteau Liberal Party Don Valley East – Ontario

  Brief biography

  Michael Coteau was first elected to the House of Commons for Don Valley East on September 20, 2021. He has served as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley East since 2011. During his time in the Ontario government, his ministerial roles include: Minister of Children and Youth Services; Minister Responsible for Anti-Racism; Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport; Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games; and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

  Prior to entering the provincial government, Michael was elected as a school board trustee for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in 2003, 2006 and 2010. As a trustee, Michael advocated for student nutrition, community use of space and the use of educational technology. He initiated the ‘Community Use of Schools’ motion that drastically cut user fees and made schools more accessible to groups that offer programs for children. He helped introduce nutritional changes in schools that supported healthy food programs and increased awareness of student hunger.

  Michael worked as an ESL instructor and curriculum developer before becoming a community organizer for a United Way agency in Scarborough. He was also the Marketing Manager for ABC Life Literacy, where he was responsible for the organizing of the Family Literacy Day across Canada, and was Executive Director of Alpha Plus, a national literacy organization mandated to support adult education through the use of technology.

  Michael grew up in Don Valley East and attended Don Mills Middle School and Victoria Park Collegiate Institute. He holds a degree from Carleton University in Political Science and Canadian History. He and his wife Lori live in Toronto with their 2 daughters, Maren and Myla. Of note:

  • spent 10 years in the Ontario legislature
  • Key issues of interest:
    • low-income families
• 

  Wayne Long Liberal Party Saint John — Rothesay - New Brunswick

  Brief biography

  Wayne Long was first elected to the House of Commons for Saint John — Rothesay in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019 and 2021. He is a member of the Saint John community with national and international business experience. Wayne currently serves as President of the Saint John Sea Dogs, and his efforts have helped turn the team into one of Canada’s most successful CHL hockey franchises winning the cherished Memorial Cup in 2011. That same year, Wayne was recognized with the John Horman Trophy, awarded to the Top Executive in the QMJHL.

  Prior to his work with the Sea Dogs, Wayne was President of Scotiaview Seafood Inc. He was also a successful large-scale product manager with Stolt Sea Farm Inc. Wayne’s work has seen him travel across North America, negotiating contracts with national restaurant distributors, restaurant chains, and retail chains. He earned the North American Excellence in Sales and Marketing award twice. Wayne is a former Board Member for Destination Marketing and Salmon Marketing.

  Wayne was born in the riding, and currently calls the area home alongside his wife, Denise, and their 2 children, Khristian and Konnor.

  Of note:

  • Has been a member of HUMA since the beginning of the 42nd Parliament (2015)
  • Key issues of interest:
    • poverty
    • mental health
    • outspoken support of the Energy East oil pipeline project
    • previously broken ranks with party (Energy East, tax policy, SNC-Lavalin) which resulted in being kicked off House committees as punishment
    • frequently makes sports parallel (hockey)
    • government programs and support that benefit his constituents
• 

  Soraya Martinez Ferrada Liberal Party PS for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Housing) Hochelaga – Québec

  Brief biography

  Soraya Martinez Ferrada was first elected to the House of Commons for Hochelaga in 2019 and re-elected in 2021. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in 20219 and became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport in 2021. She has also served on the Standing Committee on Official Languages in the last Parliament.

  She is a proud resident of the east end of Montréal. Originally from Chile, her family settled in the area in the 1980s. Soraya has deep roots in the community where she currently resides with her son and daughter.

  Before being elected, Soraya worked for more than 20 years in the community where she specialized in communications and developed multiple cultural and political projects. Among her achievements, she created the very first cultural and socio-professional integration program at TOHU, a unique example of sustainable development in Montréal.

  In 2005, she was elected as a city councillor and appointed by the mayor to the position of Associate Advisor for Culture on the City’s Executive Committee. In 2009, she became Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Official Opposition at Montréal City Hall. She transitioned to the federal government in 2015 as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

  She created the Vedette d’Hochelaga video clips in which she highlights the commitment of citizens, community organizations, and entrepreneurs in the riding of Hochelaga. She has also set up virtual roundtables and regular newsletters that present federal programs directly serving the people of her riding.

  Of note:

  • Parliamentary Secretary – Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Housing)
  • Key issues of interest:
    • poverty
    • Quebec-focused
    • multiculturalism
• 

  Robert (Bobby) J. Morrissey Liberal Party Egmont Prince Edward Island

  Brief biography

  In 2015, Bobby was elected to the House of Commons and was re-elected in 2019 and 2021. He served as a Member on the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, as well as the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

  Previously, he was elected to the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly in 1982 and has dedicated his career and volunteer life to serving the residents of PEI.

  Having served as MLA for nearly 20 years, Bobby has a deep understanding of his communities’ needs. He has held a number of high-profile roles within the Assembly, such as Minister of Transportation and Public Works, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, and Opposition House Leader. He was also responsible for the redevelopment of the Canadian Forces Base Summerside and the surrounding community following its closure by the federal government in 1989. Bobby left politics in 2000 to join the private sector as a consultant specializing in government relations, fisheries, and the labour market. Bobby has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of PEI. He was the founding member and former president of the Tignish Seniors Home Care Co-op, and Vice-Chair of Tignish Special Needs Housing.

  Of note:

  • Chair of HUMA
  • former member of HUMA in 2019 (briefly before the general election)
• 

  Tony Van Bynen Liberal Party Newmarket — Aurora – Ontario

  Brief biography

  Tony Van Bynen was first elected to the House of Commons for Newmarket-Aurora in 2019 and re-elected 2021. A resident of Newmarket for over 40 years, Tony and his wife Roxanne raised their 2 daughters there.

  Community service, volunteerism, and helping those who need it most is what drives Tony every day. He and Roxanne have volunteered at the Southlake Hospital, and the Inn from the Cold, for over 10 years. They also deliver food for the Newmarket Food Bank, and Tony was instrumental in creating Belinda’s Place, which is a multi-purpose facility for homeless and at-risk women.

  He also had the privilege of serving as the Mayor of Newmarket for 12 years. During that time, community building is what guided Tony on his mission to revitalize Main Street, renew the historic Old Town Hall, and build the Riverwalk Commons so families and friends can enjoy great public places.

  Through his previous role as the President of the Chamber of Commerce, and his 30-year career in banking, Tony understands what local businesses need to thrive and grow. He’s delivered innovative solutions to help local business owners find success, including creating the Envi broadband network, so businesses in the community have ultra-high-speed connectivity, which has been particularly crucial during the pandemic.

  Of note:

  • Key issues of interest:
    • focused studies to help Canadians, especially getting through the pandemic
• 

  Marilyn Gladu Conservative Party Sarnia—Lambton Ontario

  Brief biography

  Marilyn Gladu was re-elected to the 44th Parliament on Sept. 20, 2021 for her third term as Member of Parliament for Sarnia-Lambton. In 2020, under the new Conservative Party leadership of MP Erin O'Toole, Marilyn Gladu was named to the new Conservative Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for FedDev Southern Ontario and Privy Council Critic. She also won the "Most Collegial Parliamentarian Award" again in 2020, for the year of 2019.

  As the Member of Parliament for Sarnia-Lambton in 2015, Ms. Gladu received the MacLean’s award as “Most Collegial Parliamentarian” as voted by the other members of Parliament. She served as the Official Opposition Science Critic, as well as the Chair for the Status of Women. She has served as the Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Rail Caucus, in addition to the Vice-Chair of the Aerospace Caucus. She has also served as the Shadow Minister of Health, and the Vice Chair on the Standing Committee on Health. As one of the most respected leading members of the current Parliament, she works cooperatively and respectfully with her parliamentary peers.

  Marilyn Gladu is a professional engineer by trade, who worked for Dow Chemical for 21 years in a variety of roles locally and globally. She then became Engineering Manager and subsequently the Director of Engineering at Suncor before taking a consultant role at WorleyParsons.

  As a consultant, she has managed construction and commissioning teams, a team of over one hundred engineers supporting the Shell refinery, and served as North American Business Director for petrochemicals and refining. She was recently named as a prestigious “Fellow” by the Canadian Academy of Engineers.

  A special moment in her early political career would be that her private members bill, C-277 (on palliative care) received unanimous consent of the House of Commons and Senate. By achieving Royal Assent, her palliative care bill will now make a positive difference in the lives of millions of Canadians choosing to live as well as they can, for as long as they can.

  Of note:

  • also member of Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR)
  • former Chair of Standing Committee on Status of Women (FEWO) in the 43rd Parliament
• 

  Ron Liepert Conservative Party Calgary Signal Hill Alberta

  Brief biography

  In 2014, Ron Liepert ran for the Conservative Party of Canada nomination in the newly created riding of Calgary Signal Hill. He was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015 and was appointed by the Leader of the Opposition as the Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance, a role he remained in for 2 years.

  Having previously served as the Premier’s press secretary from 1980 to 1985, Ron participated in a number of federal-provincial conferences, and was at the side of the Premier during the Constitutional Accord of 1982 and the energy negotiations of the early 1980s. Ron then accepted the position of Trade Director of Western U.S. Operations in Los Angeles for Alberta Economic Development, from 1986 to 1991.

  In 1991, Ron joined Telus and was involved on the teams which completed the purchase of ED TEL and the BC TEL merger. He was also part of the rebranding team from AGT to Telus. From 2000 to 2004 he ran a public relations/communications consulting business and operated a childcare centre in downtown Calgary.

  Returning to politics in 2004, Ron sought and won the provincial riding of Calgary-West. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2012 where he served as Minister of Education, Minister of Health, Minister of Energy, and finally Minister of Finance. As Minister of Education Ron negotiated a 5 year labour agreement with the Alberta Teachers Association and resolved the longstanding unfunded pension liability issue.

  As Minister of Energy for the province, Ron led the competitiveness review of the oil and gas industry which addressed issues with Alberta’s royalty structure. He began the process of streamlining the regulatory process which resulted in the creation of the single regulator for oil and gas. During his term as Energy minister the province also negotiated the contract which will see the first heavy oil upgrader constructed under the province’s Bitumen Royalty-In-Kind program.

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  Stephanie Kusie Conservative Party Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Critic Calgary Midnapore – Alberta

  Brief biography

  First elected as a federal Member of Parliament in 2017, Stephanie Kusie served as the Official Opposition Deputy Shadow Minister for Health. In September 2018, she took over the position of Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Democratic Institutions.

  In 2018 Stephanie accepted invitations to become a member of both the Trilateral Commission and the board of CANZUK International. She was also elected to the Executive Committee of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas Interparliamentary Association and remains so to this day.

  Following the fall 2019 general election, she served as the Shadow Minister for Families, Children, and Social Development, a role she held until September of 2020, when incoming Conservative Party Leader, Erin O’Toole, appointed her as the Shadow Minister for Transport in his new Shadow Cabinet.

  Stephanie was born and raised in the community of Calgary Midnapore and attended the “Calgary School” within the University of Calgary, where she earned a degree in political science. Stephanie went on to obtain her Masters in Business Administration in Strategic Management from Rutgers University, where she won their Graduate School of Management Case Competition in 2000.

  As a diplomat for the Canadian federal government, Stephanie served in the watch office from 2004 to 2005 assisting Canadians in distress; had a temporary duty in Argentina in 2006; was chargée d’affaires and Consul for Canada in El Salvador from 2006 to 2008; and Consul for Canada at the Consulate in Dallas, Texas from 2010 to 2013. She also served as policy advisor to the Honourable Minister Peter Kent during his time as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for the Americas in the Harper Administration in 2009.

  From 2014 to 2016, Stephanie served as the Executive Director of Common Sense Calgary, a non-profit organization dedicated to lowering civic taxes. She also served as the Alberta South Chair of Equal Voice, a national lobby organization focussed on electing more women to all levels of political office.

  Stephanie has been published in the Calgary Sun, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal and the National Post.

  Stephanie speaks English, French, and Spanish fluently, and enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband James and their son Edward.

  Of note:

  • critic – Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion in Erin O’Toole’s shadow cabinet
  • previously a member of HUMA and Families, Children, and Social Development critic from 2019 to 2020 - key issues of interest during that time
    • home equity tax
    • economic recovery plan in general but also for youth
    • negative impacts of CERB (fraud, youth initiatives, small businesses, etcetera.) and confusion between EI and CERB
    • foreign workers and Foreign Credential Recognition
    • housing continuum, home ownership and homelessness
    • Canada Child Benefit for high income earners
    • labour force trends
    • income security, RRSP and mandatory RRIF withdrawal
    long-term care homes for seniors
    • Service Canada wait times and overall services to Canadians
  • in December 2021, Ms. Kusie co-signed a letter, along with CPC Raquel Dancho, Public Safety critic, and Pierre Paul-Hus, Public Services and Procurement critic, addressed to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Minister of Public Safety regarding a street gang in Montreal fraudulently obtained taxpayer dollars via the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to purchase illegal firearms.
  • key issues of interest in this Parliament:
    • labour shortage
    • supply chain issues
    • inflation rates
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  Alex Ruff Conservative Party Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound Ontario

  Brief biography

  Alex Ruff was first elected as Member of Parliament for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound 2019 and was re-elected in 2021. He served on the Veterans Affairs Committee from 2019 to 2020 until being appointed as the Opposition Deputy Whip in September 2020. He grew up on a farm just outside Tara and understands the unique issues facing a rural riding. He attended Chesley District High School (CDHS) and spent his summers farming and lifeguarding at the Tara Pool.

  With multiple postings across Canada, he has developed an appreciation for the vast diversity and challenges that face everyday Canadians. Alex has always maintained his deep connections to the local community through his involvement with the Tara Legion and local community events. He frequently speaks to schools across the region, attends local Remembrance Day events and has even opened the Desboro Fall Fair.

  In 1997, Alex graduated from Royal Military College with an Honours Bachelors of Space Science degree, and subsequently went on to command troops as an infantry officer in The Royal Canadian Regiment. He has extensive experience with 6 operational deployments including the 1998 ice storm in Eastern Ontario and Quebec, 2 in Bosnia, 2 in Afghanistan and most recently in Iraq. From his 2007 combat deployment to Afghanistan, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor General due to his "outstanding leadership...in defeating a determined enemy."

  His final military posting was in Baghdad, Iraq, as a key leader in the international efforts to defeat ISIS terrorists in the region before he returned home in January 2019 to run for federal politics.

  Alex believes that politicians represent the people who elected them, first and foremost.

  Of note:

  • spent 25-plus years in the military
  • would insist that procedures are observed during committee proceedings
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  Bonita Zarrillo New Democratic Party Disability Inclusion Critic Port Moody—Coquitlam British Columbia

  Brief biography

  Bonita Zarrillo was first elected as Member of Parliament for Port Moody-Coquitlam in 2021. She is known to be a voice for equality and drives systemic change that puts people first. She entered public service so she could advocate for working people and to support the needs of the most vulnerable in the community. She championed buy-local as a tool for small businesses to thrive and to enable them to hire locally, challenged pipeline corporations to pay their fair share, and completed a successful housing affordability strategy that generated the most rental housing starts in her region.

  On Coquitlam Council, Bonita served on the following: Fraser Health Municipal Government Advisory Council, Multiculturism Advisory Committee, Metro Vancouver Indigenous Relations Committee, Universal Access Ability Advisory Committee, and past Board Member for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. She sat on the board of 2 local Not-For-Profits that advocate for gender equality and speaks regularly at The Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations.

  Before being elected to municipal government, Bonita worked in consumer products as a Business Analyst for companies across North America and Europe. She has a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Manitoba, a Human Resource Management Certificate from the University of Calgary and has a Computer Science Degree from CDI Montreal.

  Of note:

  • Critic – Disability Inclusion
  • pledged to help Canadians through collaborative committee work
  • key issues of interest:
    • mental health and suicide prevention
    • women’s issues and gender equality
    • workers’ conditions
    • care economy
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  Louise Chabot Bloc Québecois Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Critic Thérèse-De Blainville - Quebec

  Brief biography

  Louise Chabot was first elected as Member of Parliament in 2019 and was re-elected in 2021. She was born in 1955 in Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse, Quebec, is a Quebec trade unionist and politician. She was president of the Centrale des Syndicates du Québec (CSQ) from 2012 to 2018. The organization initially represented nearly 200,000 members, including 130,000 in the education and early childhood sector. She coordinated a major unionization project that resulted in the consolidation of more than 15,000 family day care managers, a first in the union world in Canada.

  Of note:

  • Critic – Employment, Workforce Development & Labour Critic
  • sponsored the Committee’s study on the Review of the EI Program in 2021; critical of the EI program in general and very outspoken about seasonal workers’ trou noir and inadequate sickness benefits
  • interested in seniors’ financial security and their purchasing power
  • seek to enact federal anti-scab legislation
  • supporter of labour unions – Former president of Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)
  • member of the consultative committee for Quebec’s Pay Equity Commission
  • advocate for increase in health transfers
  • respect for provincial jurisdictions
  • labour shortages
  • nurse by profession
  • Critics for Employment and Social Development Canada