Other types of incentives would be more effective applied in certain regions or with regard to company size. Efforts to strengthen collaboration between industry and educational institutions, or to provide customized training in schools or in companies, are favoured slightly more in western Canada. So too are reductions in payroll taxes.

Payroll tax reductions are seen as more effective incentives by smaller firms with fewer than 50 employees. Excluding tax credits, other incentives are viewed as more effective by larger companies. Customized in-house training programs are strongly favoured by mid-sized and larger manufacturers. Likewise, efforts to build stronger collaboration between industry and educational institutions, or to increase collaborative training efforts among manufacturers themselves, would be more effective with mid-sized and larger firms. Programs aimed to provide information about training programs or to improve on-line training facilities are also likely to work better with larger companies than with small.

iv. Businesses must develop strategies to access new sources of labour with the capabilities they require.

Our Vision

• A manufacturing workforce with more extensive participation on the part of women, aboriginal workers, and immigrants.
• Manufacturers contract in the specialized skill sets they require.
• Manufacturers are easily able to draw upon a pool of talent comprised of retirees and consultants with the specialized knowledge, skills, and experience they require.
• Communities across Canada have the education and health services, infrastructure, and quality of life that help them attract and retain skilled personnel.

Challenges

• There is a pool of untapped labour resources in Canada which manufacturers could potentially access to meet future workforce needs.
• There is concern among manufacturers about the employability skills of the aboriginal community. There is a lack of appropriate skills training and experience among the aboriginal workforce. On the other hand, training programs for aboriginal workers require a level of predictability with respect to future job and skills requirements that many manufacturers, especially smaller ones, cannot currently provide.
• The structure of work in many manufacturing companies – shifts, times, and other organizational requirements – make it difficult to attract women and First Nations workers.
• Many communities outside major urban areas lack the health and educational services, and other infrastructure, necessary to attract and retain highly skilled workers.