Good effort to solve a serious challenge

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This article was published 04/02/2025 (276 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canada is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of skilled workers in many sectors, but a new federal program launched last week will help Brandon respond to the challenge.

The shortage impacts every segment of the national economy, with the construction, manufacturing, health-care and food service industries in particular bearing the brunt. It is due to a number of factors, including the nation’s aging population, declining birth rates, reduced immigration levels and the increased post-pandemic opportunities to work remotely.

Beyond that, many skilled workers were laid off during the 2008 economic downturn, and even more lost or left their jobs during the pandemic. In each case, many of them did not return to their jobs after the turmoil had passed.

The problem is serious, and it’s about to get even worse. Last year, it was reported that approximately 700,000 of the four million Canadians who work in trades are expected to retire by the end of this decade — and that’s only one segment of the skilled worker shortage.

Another report, authored by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, revealed that small Canadian firms lost $38 billion in business opportunities due to labour shortages in 2022, with the construction sector bearing the largest portion.

With all of those vacancies, and so many employers desperate to fill vacant positions, how can smaller communities like Brandon compete to address its skilled worker shortage?

One answer may be the new Rural Community Immigration Pilot program. It is designed to address labour shortages and support economic growth in rural and remote communities by offering permanent residency in Canada to skilled workers who want to work and settle in those centres.

Brandon is one of 14 Canadian communities participating in the program, and is tabbed to receive up to 180 skilled workers this year.

Each of the 14 communities is represented by a local economic development organization, which will work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to identify its critical labour gaps, designate trustworthy employers and recommend suitable candidates to IRCC for permanent residence.

“We’ll continue to work closely with these communities as we work to connect businesses with the skilled workers they need to thrive,” says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Minister Marc Miller.

Of the 180 workers allocated to Brandon for 2025, not all positions will be filled by newcomers to the city. Some workers already in the city on a temporary basis under the previous Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program will be in a position to transition to permanent residency through the new program.

All of this is good news for Brandon, which, like many Canadian cities, is facing challenges to attract and retain workers who possess the skills and knowledge necessary to fill chronic shortages in the local workplace. With our growing economy and aging workforce, combined with the economic turmoil much of the world is currently experiencing, this new program is a real advantage for the communities that are participating in it.

That said, significant barriers still remain. To apply for permanent residency under the new program, each applicant must satisfy language and education requirements. They must also prove they have the financial means to support themselves and their respective families.

All of this makes sense. With an increasing portion of the industrialized world’s labour force aging and leaving the workplace, there is a worldwide competition for skilled workers to fill the gaps. Canada offers a safe, stable and prosperous future to workers who possess the skills and willingness to work, but we still require programs that match the workers who come to our country with communities that need them and are capable of providing the long-term security and opportunities those workers seek.

The new Rural Community Immigration Pilot program appears to be a good step toward accomplishing that objective. By working with communities like Brandon, it is positioned to build a brighter future for the workers and families who choose to make our city their new home.