Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met to study youth employment in Canada. Appearing as witnesses were Mircea Vultur, a full professor appearing as an individual, and Andrew Tarr, Business Manager and Financial Secretary of HVAC&R Workers of Ontario Local 787.

Professor Vultur stated that youth unemployment for those aged 15 to 24 is about 14%, the highest since 2010 excluding the early pandemic, and is roughly double the national average. He attributed this to economic uncertainty, a mismatch between training and available jobs, the automation of entry-level tasks by artificial intelligence, and increased competition from international students and temporary permit holders. He recommended strengthening education-to-employment bridging programs, better aligning training with market needs, offering tax credits to small and medium-sized businesses that hire youth, and funding research on artificial intelligence's impact on youth employment.

Andrew Tarr said his union receives about 80 applications per week, roughly half from people under 25, but cannot offer jobs or apprenticeships to all of them because there is not enough work. He identified the underground economy in residential HVAC as a major factor, noting that less than 30% of residential workers are properly qualified and that temporary foreign workers, who are highly motivated, often work for cash. He recommended better monitoring of the temporary foreign worker program, using prevailing wages, and fixing the Employment Insurance system to create a separate training fund for apprentices so they can afford to attend trade school without losing income.

Tarr disagreed with the notion of a general labour shortage in his sector, stating there is a shortage of experienced workers but many people wanting to enter the trade. Vultur noted that 33% of young graduates are overqualified for their jobs and that many students pursue degrees without a clear career objective, recommending that financial support be directed toward fields in high demand. Both witnesses emphasized that training must be tied to actual job availability, with Tarr arguing that private career colleges receiving government funding should be tracked to ensure they lead to employment.

The committee approved two housekeeping items: the drafting of press releases soliciting briefs for upcoming studies on the Canada Labour Code and the temporary foreign worker program.