BRAMPTON, ON December 9, 2021
Today, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund announced the most recent cohort of grantees who will catalyze more inclusive workforce practices, and the Peel Halton Workforce Development Group (PHWDG) is thrilled to have been named. Partnering with the City of Brampton through the Economic Development Office (EDO), PHWDG is launching an employer collaborative to surface industry-led solutions that will address the workforce needs of the logistics industry in Brampton. This initiative will engage employers in co-designing and implementing innovative practices in strategic and operational areas, while increasing access to quality jobs and economic mobility for the newcomer workforce across Brampton, Canada’s second-fastest growing city. Participating employers include Coke Canada Bottling, Canadian Blood Services, Hopewell Logistics, and DSV Canada Global Transport and Logistics.
Many employers, prior to and as a result of the pandemic, have struggled to attract and retain workers, especially in entry and mid-level positions. In many sectors aging populations and skilled worker retirement rates pose additional challenges to business growth and sustainability. These issues have resulted in businesses not being able to expand at the pace of their potential and losing productivity due to high turnover, labour shortages and limited in-house training capacity. At the same time, many immigrants and newcomers in Canada struggle to find and secure sustainable employment that either offers training, or recognizes and utilizes their previous experience, skills and education.
When examined together, this disconnect between labour supply and demand represents an opportunity for businesses to come together and identify how process and practice improvements could leverage new talent pools to address skills gaps and labour shortages as well as increase their productivity and resilience. Peel Halton Workforce Development Group and Brampton’s Economic Development Office, in collaboration with workforce consulting firm Purpose Co, have designed a project specifically for employers within logistics in the City of Brampton who are interested in designing and developing practical solutions related to talent supply, retention, up-skilling and advancement, and other issues unique to the region. Purpose Co specializes in designing custom workforce solutions and capacity building programs to address the needs of job seekers, workers, employers and practitioners that enable sustainable employment, career pathways and competitive businesses. The project will bring together a targeted group of employers to co-design and inform specific solutions to the workforce issues listed above, while also increasing access to good and sustainable jobs for immigrants and others. PHWDG and EDO are excited to create lasting positive change for Brampton employers and job seekers with the support of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, a champion of trust-based and equity-informed philanthropic funding.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the City of Brampton’s Economic Development Office with the support of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund to address the workforce needs of the logistics industry in Brampton, while improving access to quality jobs and economic mobility for the newcomer workforce in Brampton. Industry partnerships and worker voice are central to advancing inclusive economic development, workplaces and responsive workforce solutions”, says Peel Halton Workforce Development Group Executive Director Shalini Da Cunha.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown added, “As we continue to navigate and move forward from the pandemic, it is important that cities and stakeholders in workforce development join together to help people find jobs and economic opportunities. Through our Economic Development team who is focused on economic recovery across sectors – including logistics – we are proud to partner with the Peel Halton Workforce Development Group to foster new ways to create jobs, especially for new Canadians, people of all abilities, and other marginalized communities.”
How to Get Involved
Companies/employers who are interested in participating in this innovative project can contact Martin Bohl (martin.bohl@brampton.ca) at The City of Brampton’s Economic Development Office. Stakeholders interested in this project or any of Peel Halton Workforce Develop Groups additional initiatives can contact Shalini da Cunha (sdacunha@peelhaltonworkforce.com) at the Peel Halton Workforce Development Group.
About Peel Halton Workforce Development Group
Peel Halton Workforce Development Group is a community based, non-profit corporation. It is one of 25 local workforce planning boards in the Province of Ontario, funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD). PHWDG is mandated to collect labour market information, analyze trends and consult with community partners on the best ways to address these trends. www.peelhaltonworkforce.com
About the City of Brampton
As the home of Canada’s largest inland CN intermodal yard, Brampton is at the hub of North America’s transportation network, contributing roughly two billion dollars annually to the national GDP. Brampton is home to over 11,000 employers in logistics, transportation, and warehousing who employ over 24,000 workers. With over fifty percent of the City’s population identifying as immigrants, the City of Brampton also has a unique perspective on the importance of leveraging untapped talent through underrepresented groups. For more information www.investbrampton.ca