Category Archives: Jobs

Jobs

Keeping a low profile: jobless rate in Kootenay region stays below provincial average for second month

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Although the jobless rate has slipped slightly in the Kootenay region it still remains well below the provincial and national rates.

The percentage for known unemployed people in the Kootenay region — which includes West and East Kootenay, as well as Nelson, Castlegar, Trail and Grand Forks — was 3.2 per cent in March, according to Statistics Canada latest figures, up from 2.9 per cent in February.

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Housing, Jobs

Canada has jobs and public support for immigrants but it doesn’t have the housing

By Fabian Dawson, New Canadian Media, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s plan to open its doors to hundreds of thousands of immigrants will be a “trainwreck” if the Trudeau Liberal government does not come up with a comprehensive housing solution for the newcomers who are needed to fill jobs in the country, experts say.

Housing affordability and availability are the key issues of concern for Canadians, who are generally in favour of immigration, said pollster Nik Nanos. The results of his organization’s latest survey shows over half of Canadians polled believe an increase in immigrants as permanent residents will have a positive or somewhat positive impact on the economy.

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Business, Jobs, Politics

Labour Shortage, or Bad Jobs?

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The B.C. government is offering the first look at parts of a $460-million plan to plug a growing labour gap as employers struggle to  fill jobs.

The province has budgeted  $126 million in the next year for skills training, helping immigrants to  have their credentials recognized and helping businesses hire staff.

Finance Minister Katrine Conroy said lack of staff is the number one issue for small businesses in the province. 

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Jobs, Poverty

Vancouver’s Decision to Abandon Living Wage Program Creates Shockwaves

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In 2017, the City of Vancouver committed to ensuring its employees — and workers for city contractors — were paid enough to live there. 

At the time, Vancouver was  the biggest employer in the country to offer a living wage based on the  cost of rent, food and other necessities. 

“It was the largest living wage  municipality, and it did a tremendous job over the years in encouraging  other businesses to sign on,” said Anastasia French, the director of Living Wage for Families BC.  Then-mayor Gregor Robertson told media it was a way to guarantee  workers “a basic level of opportunity” in an expensive place to live and  work. 

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Jobs

Temporary Foreign Workers Hit Record Levels in BC

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

B.C. businesses are hiring a record number of temporary foreign workers as they struggle to fill jobs. 

The latest federal data show there were  more than 32,200 people in B.C. under the federal government’s Temporary  Foreign Worker Program at the end of 2022, more than Ontario, which has  more than twice B.C.’s population. 

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