April 30, 2020 | Alex Ross
With retirement and out-migration coupled with an already ageing population, it is important now than ever to understand the occupations in which these shortages fall. This briefing note provides insight into current and potential future labour market shortages in Northern Ontario’s 5 largest cities, in order to provide a better understanding to decision makers, potential migrants and youth on the labour market situation in Northern communities. These insights are important to ensure that skills shortages are met, in-migrants move to the North for the right jobs, and so that Northern Ontario’s youth prepare themselves for careers that will allow them the option of remaining in their home cities after they graduate.
For the Greater Sudbury Census Metropolitan Area, this paper finds that multiple highly skilled positions have been identified as in need, both based on current labour market indicators and potential future retirements. In management, this includes legislators and senior managers, as well as managers in transportation. Unique to Greater Sudbury, a number of library clerks and librarians were identified as having high potential for retirement need in the future. Retirement rates in both occupations made the top 5 list of occupations in the community.
Further, therapy and assessment professionals were identified across multiple indicators as being in need, a field which did not show up on Ontario’s top occupations based on the same indicator. Others that were unique to Sudbury when compared to the province included auditors, accountants and investment professionals, civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineers, as well as retail and wholesale trade managers.