Archive
Bridging the Gap: Education and Skills Alignment in Durham Region
Leave a CommentUnlocking Potential Through Education
Durham Region’s workforce is well-educated, more so than the provincial and national averages. Among survey respondents aged 25 to 64, 69.6% have completed post-secondary education, with 67% holding a Bachelor’s degree or higher—a figure well above the Canadian average. This impressive educational attainment reflects the strong presence of local post-secondary institutions, including Ontario Tech University, Durham College, and Trent University, Durham/GTA.
Where Are These Skills Located?
Interestingly, the municipalities with the highest levels of post-secondary attainment among respondents were not the largest urban centres, but Scugog and Uxbridge—two of the region’s smaller communities. In contrast, Clarington showed the lowest share of university-educated respondents, despite being home to parts of the Queen’s Lakeridge Family Medicine Program.
What Are People Studying?
The top fields of study were:
- Business, Management, and Public Administration (26%)
- Education (10%)
- Social Sciences and Law (10%)
- Health-Related Fields (9%)
- Math, Computer, and Info Sciences (6%)
This mix aligns with growing sectors in the local economy—but there’s still a need to ensure these credentials translate into meaningful employment.
Matching Talent to Opportunity
Despite high education levels, many unemployed or underemployed individuals cite a lack of hands-on experience as a barrier to re-entering the workforce. This highlights the importance of experiential learning, apprenticeships, and community-employer partnerships to bridge the gap between education and employment.
Durham Region has a skilled, well-educated population. The challenge isn’t quantity—it’s alignment. Strategic investments in experiential training and stronger links between education and employment will ensure local talent stays local.
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. The DWA hosts Jobs First Durham (JFD) a boutique job board with hyper-local information.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Working in Durham – A Look at Jobs, Skills, and In-Demand Occupations
Leave a CommentDurham Region’s labour market is evolving. From 2016 to 2021, employment grew by 3%, with substantial increases in high-demand areas like:
- Natural and Applied Sciences (+41%)
- Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators (+23%)
- Health Occupations (+25%)
At the same time, employment declined in some sectors, like manufacturing (-6%) and arts and entertainment (-10%). These shifts reflect broader economic trends, including automation, an aging population, and pandemic-era disruptions.
Job posting data from the DWA’s Jobs First Durham tool offers hyper-local insights into the local workforce. In 2024, over 49,000 job postings were analyzed, revealing the top skills employers want:
- Communication (mentioned in 39% of postings)
- Interpersonal skills (37%)
- Management and problem-solving (34%)
Interestingly, digital skills such as Microsoft Office and IT support also ranked high, reflecting the growing importance of tech literacy across all sectors—not just in IT.
As the NOC system evolves (now using a five-digit code), understanding changes in job classification helps job seekers and service providers align training with the needs of today’s market.
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. The DWA hosts Jobs First Durham (JFD) a boutique job board with hyper-local information.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Three Cups of Tea: Building Social Capital
Leave a CommentYears ago, I stumbled upon the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, which was written about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2010. The concept of three cups of tea struck me and stayed with me. In the book, the author is told by an elder that it takes three cups of tea to build connections. The first cup of tea, you are an acquaintance; the second cup of tea, you are a friend; and the third cup of tea, you are family, a metaphor of social capital. Simply put, social capital is the networks that bring people together.
Making friends and connecting with others has many benefits. When people are connected, they trust, share resources, help, and look out for one another.
Recently, I was speaking to job seekers and asked them about their job search network. In the room, a few people volunteered, connected to the community, took a class, or spoke to new people each day. The process of building social capital after labour disruption can be difficult. But it can also be a time of renewal. Imagine knitting at home. You have a great skill, and it brings your creativity out, but you are alone. Imagine taking that skill and using it to build social capital. A local library and several yarn stores host knit nights where fellow knitters get together. You could join a group to make some friends, and as you get to know others in this group, you build social capital to ask for help in your job search. You can let people outside of your normal networks know that you are job hunting, and they might just help move you closer to that new job.
If you need to expand your networks and build some new social capital, try these strategies:
- Be active in your community. As I mentioned with knitting groups, get involved in groups that have similar interests to you and connect with them.
- Find informal leaders and connectors. In the Lakeview Neighbourhood, there is an active connector who describes himself as ‘king of the hood.’ He has the pulse of Lakeview and can connect people together. Try finding people like that.
- Try some volunteering. While you are job hunting and trying to decide on your next career, exploring and giving back could connect you with people who might help you find a job. Moreover, adding volunteering to your resume makes you stand out, as will the skills you have gained during your experience.
- Challenge yourself to talk to five new people a day. I don’t mean ask them for a job, but look someone in the eye, say hello, and tell them to have a nice day. You will get comfortable speaking to new people, and you might make a new friend.
- Attend a workshop or seminar in person at a community event, community centre, employment service provider or library. You will meet new people there.
Job hunting is hard work. Build a schedule for finding jobs, volunteering, and connecting with people to build that social capital.
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. The DWA hosts Jobs First Durham (JFD) a boutique job board with hyper-local information.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Written by: Heather McMillan, Executive Director, Durham Workforce Authority
Heather’s expertise is developing strong local community labour markets and conducting industry research supported by innovative projects. Heather is a Toronto Sector Skills Academy Metcalf Fellow and was recently awarded her Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) certification from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.
We’re Hiring a Marketing Researcher and a Database Administrator!
Leave a CommentJoin Our Summer Team: Now Hiring a Marketing Researcher and a Database Administrator!
Are you a student or recent graduate looking to gain real-world experience this summer? The Durham Workforce Authority (DWA) is hiring for two exciting contract positions through the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program! If you’re passionate about marketing, communications, data, or community development, we want to hear from you.
Marketing Researcher Position
Do you have a creative spark and a knack for community engagement? As our Marketing Researcher, you’ll play a key role in helping us connect with local employers and promote the DWA’s new branding, research, tools, and the exciting Lakeview Hub project. This role is perfect for someone who loves writing, creating content in Canva, developing social media strategies, and engaging with the community.
Key responsibilities include:
- Creating marketing materials and campaigns
- Writing and posting blogs and social media content
- Promoting our employer survey and Lakeview Hub services
- Attending community events
- Updating contact lists and partner profiles
If you want to build your portfolio and help make a difference in your community, this role is for you!
Click here to see full position details
Jobs First Durham Database Administrator Position
Are you detail-oriented and enjoy organizing information? As our Jobs First Durham Database Administrator, you’ll help ensure our job board platform is accurate, user-friendly, and up to date. This behind-the-scenes role is essential to maintaining the quality of job postings and labour market data used across the region.
Key responsibilities include:
- Reviewing and tagging job postings
- Verifying information for employers and job seekers
- Supporting data accuracy for tools like our job map and education listings
- Recommending improvements to tagging systems and categories
This is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in tech, data, or labour market research.
Click here to see full position details
Why Work with Us?
At the Durham Workforce Authority, we’re passionate about connecting people to local opportunities and supporting workforce development across Durham Region. You’ll be part of a small, dynamic team that values collaboration, innovation, and community impact.
Who Can Apply?
These positions are funded through the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program and are open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents between the ages of 18 and 29.
How to Apply
If you’re interested in one of these roles, email us at admin@durhamwa.ca with your resume and a short note about why you’re interested.
These are full-time, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., contract roles running for 16 weeks beginning May 5, 2025 — perfect for students looking for meaningful summer experience.
🚀 Don’t wait — applications will be reviewed as they come in!
Let’s make this a summer to remember — apply today and help shape the future of Durham’s workforce!
Stars in Our Eyes
Leave a CommentDowntown Oshawa was transformed last week into Gilead for the filming of Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. It was exciting to see familiar buildings transformed and to see all the workers supporting the production. The film industry is vital to Durham Region.
Durham Region has unique sites and businesses to support the film and television industry. Parkwood National Historic Site has been used in tv shows like Bomb girls and XMen. Durham has students and backlots as well as downtowns to stand in for real or make-believe locations.
Economic Impact
Films and television shows have been made in Canada for many years, and the country remains a popular choice among foreign producers. In 2018-2019, over 180,000 people worked in Canada’s film, television, and digital media industry, worth $9.32 billion and growing. Much of Canadian film, television, and digital media production happens in Ontario, particularly in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
Employment
The number of productions and the number of people working full-time in the film and television industry is growing, with 44,540 people employed as:
- lighting, make-up, carpenters, set designers, set dressers and wardrobe experts
- production managers and coordinators
- location managers
- craft services
- post-production experts
- accountants
- performers
- drivers
Toronto is the second largest screen-based production centre in North America, there isn’t enough studio space or open land to meet the demands of the busy film and television production sector. Studio space is often booked up to a year ahead, and producers struggle to find filming locations in dense downtown Toronto. The availability of land in Durham Region and its closeness to Toronto makes it a very attractive option for production.
Durham’s charming downtowns, historic buildings, attractive bridges and rustic train stations can be seen in many film and television projects, including:
- Anne with an E
- A Sweet Taste of Love
- Coroner
- Hemlock Grove
- IT and IT Chapter Two
- Polar
- Private Eyes
- Schitt’s Creek
- The West Wing
- Titans
- Welcome to Mooseport
Employment Gains and Losses
Leave a CommentAccording to Statistics Canada’s The Daily, Canada’s employment fell by approximately 33,000 jobs. The Durham Workforce Authority (DWA) has examined the employment gains and losses by the Oshawa Census Metropolitan Area (CMA).
The following table shows the employment by thousands in Oshawa CMA from November 2024 to March 2025.
Chart One: Employment characteristics, Oshawa Census Metropolitan Area
| Employment: Persons in Thousands | Nov-24 | Dec-24 | Jan-25 | Feb-25 | Mar-25 |
| Goods-producing sector | 44 | 44.7 | 45.1 | 44.9 | 44.2 |
| Utilities | 5.2 | 6 | 6.4 | 6.6 | 6 |
| Construction | 19.3 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23.1 |
| Manufacturing | 18.6 | 18.1 | 17.3 | 15.7 | 14.3 |
| Services-producing sector | 195.7 | 195 | 198.4 | 201.8 | 203.1 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 41 | 41 | 39.6 | 37.7 | 36.7 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11.6 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11 | 10.9 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 20.8 | 20.9 | 22.2 | 24.9 | 26.6 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 22.8 | 24.9 | 27.8 | 28.2 | 28.3 |
| Educational services | 22 | 21.7 | 22.1 | 23.7 | 23.7 |
| Health care and social assistance | 29.9 | 28.2 | 27.2 | 26.2 | 25.9 |
| Information, culture and recreation | 11.2 | 11 | 11.6 | 12.2 | 12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8.9 | 11.1 | 13 | 15 | 15.1 |
| Public administration | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.8 | 10.1 | 10.6 |
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0467-01
Employment Gains
The sectors highlighted in blue show an increase in employment. The Services-producing sector added about 7400 jobs since November 2024. Similar gains were in the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate sector and the Professional Scientific and Technical Services Sector.
Employment Losses
The sectors highlighted in yellow indicate a decrease in employment. Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade, Healthcare, Accommodation, and Food Services saw the most significant decreases.
Chart Two: Month-over-Month Gains and Losses
| Employment: Persons in Thousands | Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Change |
| Utilities | 6.6 | 6 | -600 |
| Construction | 22 | 23.1 | +1100 |
| Manufacturing | 15.7 | 14.3 | -1400 |
| Services-producing sector | 201.8 | 203.1 | +1300 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 37.7 | 36.7 | -1000 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 10.9 | -100 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 24.9 | 26.6 | +1700 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 28.2 | 28.3 | +100 |
| Educational services | 23.7 | 23.7 | 0 |
| Health care and social assistance | 26.2 | 25.9 | -300 |
| Information, culture and recreation | 12.2 | 12 | -200 |
| Accommodation and food services | 15 | 15.1 | +100 |
| Public administration | 10.1 | 10.6 | +500 |
Chart Three: Total Gains and Losses
| Total sector employment | |
| Gains | Loss |
| 4800 | 3600 |
Oshawa had a gain of approximately 1200 jobs month over month. Most jobs were in the Service or Finance sectors. The DWA will track this as the tariffs begin to impact the labour market.
Jobs First Durham Data
Recent data from Jobs First Durham highlights a concerning trend in the local labour market. Between November 2024 and March 2025, the number of active job postings declined by 33%, while the number of companies hiring fell by 27%. This reinforces the broader employment downturn reflected in Statistics Canada’s data, suggesting that businesses in the region are scaling back their hiring efforts.
Additionally, during this same period, both the average and median posted wages experienced declines of 4% and 3%, respectively, indicating potential wage stagnation or increased competition for fewer available positions. These shifts underscore the challenges facing job seekers and employers in Durham’s evolving job market.
About the DWA:
The Durham Workforce Authority (DWA) is a community-based not-for-profit. We work hard to meet the voices of the sectors, ensure good stewardship of public funds and provide reliable research focused on local labour market information (LMI).
The DWA collaborates with community stakeholders from business, labour, education and training, community services, and municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
The DWA hosts a free tool, Jobs First Durham community job board, that aggregates postings from over 50 unique websites to help job seekers and employers.
Jobs First Durham offers career development tools, including a job board, career calculator, career library, and resume and cover letter builders. Jobs First Durham provides reports and analytics, including labour market insights and labour force and skill demand reports.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Written by: Heather McMillan, Executive Director, Durham Workforce Authority
Heather’s expertise is developing strong local community labour markets and conducting industry research supported by innovative projects. Heather is a Toronto Sector Skills Academy Metcalf Fellow and was recently awarded her Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) certification from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.
Employment Looking Forward
Leave a CommentIn November, when President Donald Trump announced his intentions to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States, the Durham Workforce Authority (DWA) took notice. Today, the United States is poised to impose tariffs on Canada that include automotive and other goods. The US has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on:
- All Canadian goods
- An added 25 percent on steel and aluminum imports
- 10 percent on energy imports.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated that these tariffs could impact employment, potentially resulting in the loss of around 500,000 jobs. Given the unpredictability of the US government, tariff amounts of either 10 or 25 percent, tariff lengths of several months or years, and the sectors that become the president’s focus, which could change on a whim, the impact on the labour market could be significant.
Workers at Risk
The Durham Workforce Authority (DWA) is focused on the labour market impacts of the proposed tariffs. Durham has approximately 4500 workers in the transportation and equipment manufacturing sector, which includes motor vehicles, shipbuilding and aerospace manufacturing. Durham also has workers in steel and aluminum manufacturing and machine shops. It is estimated that there are 2600 workers in this sector. The DWA is tracking sector changes as these tariffs roll out.
Layoffs
Economists and the Premier have suggested that job losses in Ontario may occur as tariffs are implemented. If you believe you might be impacted, don’t wait until you receive a layoff notice to act. There are services and supports available to help you transition to other employment or training opportunities; most of these supports are free or have low-cost registration fees.
Lakeview Hub
The DWA operates an employment support hub at 799 Douglas Street, Oshawa, on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can meet with an employment counsellor and register for a free Jobs First Durham account. Drop-ins welcome, come for a coffee.
Jobs First Durham
If you need your resume updated and want to search for jobs in Durham, Jobs First Durham is a free job search portal that aggregates Durham Region jobs from 50 job sites, making it more efficient to search for local jobs. You can find the top skills local employers need, and the site has a free resume and cover letter builder.
Academic Upgrading
If you have education that is more than ten years old, you may need a refresher before transitioning to other employment or training. The Literacy Network of Durham Region coordinates academic upgrading in Durham Region, and you can visit them every Wednesday at the Lakeview Hub. You can explore e-learning options through E-learning Ontario, part-time programs at Durham College, and programs offered by Durham Continuing Education.
Library Resources
Grab a library card to access free resources like LinkedIn Learning. Most libraries offer this service, and your library card is all you need. Go get one today.
Please see links below:
Lakeview Hub
Jobs First Durham
https://durhamworkforceauthority.ca/jobs-first-durham/
Literacy Network of Durham Region
Elearning Ontario
https://courses.elearningontario.ca/d2l/loginh/
Durham College
https://www.durhamcollege.ca/academic-faculties/professional-and-part-time-learningDurham
Continuing Education
https://www.ddsb.ca/en/programs-and-learning/adult-and-continuing-education.aspx
Service System Manager
https://www.durham.ca/en/employment-services/introduction.aspx
About the DWA:
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Labour Market Impacts of Auto Tariffs
Leave a CommentThe United States proceeded with its anticipated imposition of a 25% tariff on all vehicles manufactured outside the United States. This will have an immediate impact on Durham’s automotive industry.
Despite changes to the sector over the last 20 years, the automotive sector is an important labour market sector.
Chart One shows the number of employers by employee size range. Most automotive employers have at least 20 employees.
Chart One: Durham Region Automotive Employers by Employee Size Range
| NAICS Code | Description | 20-49 Employees | 50-99 Employees | 100-199 Employees | 200-499 Employees | 500+ Employees | Total |
| 336110 | Automobile and light-duty motor vehicle manufacturing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 336211 | Motor vehicle body manufacturing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 336212 | Truck trailer manufacturing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 336370 | Motor vehicle stamping | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Source: OMAFRA Analyst
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candice Laing noted Wednesday that the Canadian and American auto sectors are heavily intertwined. Automotive parts can cross international borders up to eight times before a vehicle is finally assembled, and tariffs could add thousands of dollars to the cost of that vehicle, she said in a statement.
Automotive Manufacturing Employment Durham Region
There are approximately 4495 individuals employed in the Transportation and Equipment Manufacturing sector.
Chart Two: Employed by NAIC: Durham Region
| 336 Transportation equipment manufacturing | 4495 |
| 3361 Motor vehicle manufacturing | 1770 |
| 3362 Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing | 115 |
| 3363 Motor vehicle parts manufacturing | 1530 |
| 3364 Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 1040 |
| 3365 Railroad rolling stock manufacturing | 15 |
| 3366 Ship and boat building | 15 |
| 3369 Other transportation equipment manufacturing | 0 |
custom data provided by Durham Workforce Authority
The tariff impact will jeopardize these jobs and impact incomes in the region. Selected wages for the automotive sector are in chart three.
Chart Three: Motor Vehicle Employment Income, Selected Occupations Durham Region
| Median Income | |
| Supervisors motor vehicle assembly | $73,500 |
| Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling | $70,500 |
| Motor vehicle assemblers, inspectors and testers | $39,200 |
custom data provided by the Durham Workforce Authority
Labour Market Disruptions
The federal government has recognized the critical role of employment assistance and reskilling services delivered by provinces and territories, which are provided through the Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDAs).
Locally, the Durham Workforce Authority has a pulse on the labour market, and collectively, the Durham Region Employment Services Consortium is the regional Employment Service System Manager (SSM) overseeing the design and delivery of employment services across the Durham region. The SSM includes a network of highly skilled Employment Services Providers who create meaningful connections between job seekers and employers.
The consortium forms the Regional Municipality of Durham (as the lead agency), Durham College and Durham Workforce Authority. With extensive experience and expertise in implementing employment and human services programs, consultation, and system coordination, the consortium will provide funding, support, and oversight for the region’s Employment Services network. A link to the SSM is included at the bottom of this blog.
The DWA will track their impacts on Durham’s clusters and economic sectors.
The greatest challenge we will face in the coming weeks is planning for and navigating uncertainty. Tariff uncertainty can affect forecasting and planning. So, events like this, keeping doors open to conversations and working together, are critical.
https://www.durham.ca/en/employment-services/introduction.aspx
https://www.durham.ca/en/economic-development/
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. Next month, the DWA will release its annual Labour Market Plan (LMP).
The plan focuses on the following:
- Durham Region demographics change, as do migration trends in and out, residents’ educational attainment, and changes in employers in the local area by employee size and 3-digit NAICs.
- Enhanced Jobs First Durham (JFD) data extracted from the DWA’s boutique job board with hyper-local information.
- An update on Employment Ontario data.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Written by: Heather McMillan, Executive Director, Durham Workforce Authority
Heather’s expertise is developing strong local community labour markets and conducting industry research supported by innovative projects. Heather is a Toronto Sector Skills Academy Metcalf Fellow and was recently awarded her Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) certification from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.
Embracing Neurodiversity: Unlocking Talent in the Workforce
Leave a CommentNeurodiversity Celebration Week is an opportunity to recognize the immense value that neurodivergent individuals bring to the workplace. Across Durham Region and beyond, businesses are discovering that fostering an inclusive workforce isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business strategy.
The Strengths of a Neurodiverse Workforce
Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences, bring unique skills and perspectives to the workplace. These strengths include:
- Innovative Thinking: Many neurodivergent employees excel at problem-solving and thinking outside the box.
- Strong Attention to Detail: Individuals with autism, for example, often thrive in roles that require precision and pattern recognition.
- Creative Problem-Solving: Dyslexic individuals frequently have strong spatial reasoning and creative problem-solving abilities.
- Deep Focus: Some neurodivergent employees can maintain exceptional focus on tasks they are passionate about.
The Business Case for Neurodiversity
Employers who embrace neurodiversity benefit from increased productivity, enhanced innovation, and improved workplace culture. Research shows neurodiverse teams are often more effective at complex problem-solving and innovation. Companies that actively recruit and support neurodivergent employees report higher retention rates and employee satisfaction.
Despite these benefits, neurodivergent individuals face significant employment barriers. In Canada:
- Only 59% of working-age adults with disabilities are employed, compared to 80% of those without disabilities. (Azrieli Foundation)
- The employment rate for Canadians with conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and intellectual disabilities drops to approximately 26%. (Azrieli Foundation)
- In 2022, 1.5% of Canadians aged 15 and over (about 456,630 individuals) reported having a developmental disability. (StatsCan)
- 5.6% of Canadians aged 15 and older reported having a learning disability. (StatsCan)
Creating an Inclusive Workplace
To unlock the full potential of a neurodiverse workforce, businesses can take several key steps:
- Flexible Hiring Practices: Adjust job descriptions and interview processes to accommodate different communication and thinking styles.
- Workplace Accommodations: Small changes, such as noise-cancelling headphones or flexible work hours, can have a significant impact.
- Training & Awareness: Educate managers and employees on neurodiversity to create a more inclusive culture.
- Strengths-Based Roles: Match employees with tasks that align with their skills and interests to maximize success.
Durham Region Leading the Way
Employers, community organizations, and workforce development agencies work together in the Durham Region to promote inclusive hiring practices. Organizations such as Durham Region Autism Services and the Neurodivergent Infinity Network of Educators (NINE) provide resources to support neurodivergent individuals and their employers. By championing neurodiversity, we can build a stronger, more innovative local economy that benefits everyone.
As we celebrate Neurodiversity Celebration Week, let’s recognize the value of diverse minds in the workplace and continue to create spaces where everyone can thrive.
Labour Market Impacts in a Tariff War with America
Leave a CommentIn November, when President Donald Trump announced his intentions to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States, the Durham Workforce Authority (DWA) took notice. Recently, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said these tariffs could affect employment, costing about 500,000 jobs.
Last night, the United States announced that it would levy a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian goods. Considering the unpredictable nature of the current American administration, tariffs could be increased or decreased depending on the hour of the day. Tariff amounts of either 10 or 25 percent, tariff length of several months or years, and finally, sectors that become the president’s focus, which could change on a whim —the impact on the labour market could be significant. Some economic modelling suggests that a 10 percent tariff scenario could contract the Canadian GDP, putting jobs across various sectors at risk.
The Trump administration will levy tariffs in the following sectors:
- Auto parts manufacturing
- Energy
- Chemical and plastic manufacturing
- Metals
- Consumer goods
- Machinery
Tariff Impacts
Dairy: The 25 percent tariff will affect Canadian milk, cheese and butter exports.
The manufacturing sector is an important sector for Durham Region. This sector includes companies that change materials or substances through chemical, mechanical, or physical processes to create new products. These products can be finished and ready for use or semi-finished, meaning they serve as raw materials for further manufacturing.
The manufacturing sector includes the assembly of the component parts of manufactured goods; the blending of materials; and the finishing of manufactured products by dyeing, heat-treating, plating and similar operations are also treated as manufacturing activities.
Cars and Car Parts: tariffs will impact finished vehicles and parts
Imports and Exports by Municipality
The following are the imports and exports by each municipality. The data does not show how much of either is imported from the United States or exported to the same. However, it does indicate the volume of goods transferred in this region.
Imports Exports
Import/Exports: Durham Region 2022 |
||
| Imports | Exports | |
| Ajax | $8,360,892,499 | $7,744,394,245 |
| Pickering | $8,851,714,192 | $10,591,460,024 |
| Oshawa | $10,132,383,480 | $8,486,115,852 |
| Whitby | 10,479,286,578 | $10,664,355,378 |
| Clarington | $7,774,513,661 | $7,114,525,421 |
| North Durham | $4,576,792,525 | $4,125,455,046 |
Data: Analyst
This data provides more information about Durham Region exports by municipality and sector. We can see the significant impact tariffs will have, particularly in the manufacturing sector, which includes food, chemicals, plastics and machine manufacturing.
Region Exports Selected Municipalities 2022
Data: Analyst
Unemployment
Durham Region’s unemployment rate — the DWA uses Oshawa CMA’s (Census Metropolitan Area; includes Oshawa, Whitby and Clarington) — has steadily decreased since unemployment was at a high of 8.5 percent in August 2024. In January 2025, the Oshawa CMA's unemployment rate was 7.4 percent, Ontario 7.7 percent, and Canada 7.1 percent. The tariffs could impact several local occupations: logistics, machine operators, process operators in manufacturing, and occupations in wholesale and retail trade.
Data: Analyst
Where Do We Go from Here?
Labour Market Disruptions
The federal government has noted the critical role of employment assistance and reskilling services delivered by provinces and territories, provided through the Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDAs). Locally, this means organizations like the Durham Workforce Authority with its pulse on the labour market, and collectively, the Durham Region Employment Services Consortium is the regional employment Service System Manager (SSM) overseeing the design and delivery of employment services across Durham region. The SSM includes a network of highly skilled Employment Services Providers who create meaningful connections between job seekers and employers.
The consortium comprises The Regional Municipality of Durham (as the lead agency), Durham College and Durham Workforce Authority. With extensive experience and expertise in employment and human services program implementation, consultation and system coordination, the consortium will provide funding, support and oversight for the region’s Employment Services network. A link to the SSM is included at the bottom of this blog.
Shop local as much as you can! Below are several links to local producers. Remember: agri-food products produced and available locally support healthy communities, provide job opportunities and diversify the economy. Local produce is also fresher.
As the tariffs begin, the DWA will track their impacts on Durham’s clusters and economic sectors.
The greatest challenge we will face in the next few weeks is planning for and living in uncertainty. Tariff uncertainty can affect forecasting and planning. So, events like this, keeping doors open to conversations and working together are critical.
https://www.durham.ca/en/employment-services/introduction.aspx
https://www.durham.ca/en/economic-development/
https://www.durhamfarmfresh.ca/
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. Next month, the DWA will release its annual Labour Market Plan (LMP).
The plan focuses on the following:
- Durham Region demographics change, as do migration trends in and out, residents’ educational attainment, and changes in employers in the local area by employee size and 3-digit NAICs.
- Enhanced Jobs First Durham (JFD) data extracted from the DWA’s boutique job board with hyper- local information.
- An update on Employment Ontario data.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, don't hesitate to get in touch with the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.
Written by: Heather McMillan, Executive Director, Durham Workforce Authority
Heather’s expertise is developing strong local community labour markets and conducting industry research supported by innovative projects. Heather is a Toronto Sector Skills Academy Metcalf Fellow and was recently awarded her Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) certification from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.