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 North Bay, 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 North Bay region, 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 managers in health care, arts and culture, customer services, and legislators / senior managers. Further, multiple health-related occupations were also identified in North Bay, including optometrists, chiropractors, and therapy and assessment professionals. Therapy and assessment professionals are also a category which may be unique to North Bay when compared to the province, as the occupation group did not show up on Ontario’s top occupations based on the same indicator. This occupation category also forms a relatively larger portion of the labour market.
Other positions were also identified which stood out for North Bay when compared to the province. This includes auditors, accountants and investment professionals, managers in retail and wholesale trade, food accommodations, and manufacturing, and finally, civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineers.