Durham Region, like much of Canada, faces labour shortages, especially in agriculture. U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump could worsen the situation.
“Thousands of local jobs depend on trade with U.S. manufacturers,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter in February 2025.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic Canada has struggled with labour shortages, stagnant wages, high inflation and an aging workforce. These challenges persisted in 2024 as job growth lagged behind population increases, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
The federal government has increased economic migration and reformed the Express Entry program to address workforce gaps. Still, concerns remain over declining labour participation, rising unemployment, the cost-of-living crisis and potential U.S. tariff fallout.
As of February 2025, Canada’s labour force participation rate was 65.3 per cent, with an unemployment rate of 6.6 per cent, according to the Conference Board of Canada. In contrast, the OECD’s average labour force participation rate was 74 per cent in Q3 2024, with an unemployment rate of 4.9 per cent.
Beyond an aging workforce and stagnant wages, more young Canadians are becoming NEETs—youth not in employment, education, or training—now 11 per cent of the country’s young population.
Alisa Chung left high school at 16 due to mental health struggles. Now living with her grandparents, she creates content about NEET life while finishing school to secure a visa for her planned move to Japan—an opportunity she might not have had otherwise. Chung believes companies no longer offer true entry-level opportunities.
“They aren’t even willing to train employees,” she said, emphasizing that time is the best investment. “They forget that patience creates the most valuable workers.”
In Canada, she added, “Getting a job is more about who you know than what you know.” She also struggles with depression, noting, “This isn’t just a workplace issue—it’s a societal one.”
Chung recalled, “In school, people saw me as intelligent. After I dropped out, they looked down on me. Now, they can’t find work and ask for my advice because I gained real-world experience.”
Though she identifies as a NEET, she sees it as forging her own path: “I do a lot of freelance work—it’s not about avoiding work but choosing my own way.”
Simon Gill, director of Invest Durham and Durham Tourism, notes that while labour shortages are not unique to Durham, businesses in the region face additional challenges, including attracting skilled workers, adapting to technological advancements and securing the infrastructure needed to support economic growth.
Jennifer French, NDP MPP for Oshawa, said Durham is “one of Canada’s fastest-growing regions,” expecting 1.3 million residents soon. She urges provincial investment in infrastructure, including the Bowmanville GO extension to boost downtown investment and removing 407 tolls to ease congestion.
French advocates expanding Ontario’s Career Ready program, which connects college and university students with paid experiential learning opportunities.
Brianna Young, a 23-year-old graduate of Durham College’s Social Service Worker program, has struggled to find work in Durham and instead secured a job in Scarborough. “In Durham, I find that most places require a master’s degree, and I only have a bachelor’s,” she said.
Invest Durham has prioritized five key industry clusters: applied digital technology, future energy, next-generation mobility, agri-food, and arts, culture and creative industries. These sectors offer “strong growth opportunities, capacity for innovation, and the ability to create high-value jobs,” said Gill.
While Invest Durham works to keep local businesses competitive, Gill shares Mayor Carter’s concerns. Businesses across the region “are experiencing their supply chains being disrupted, higher costs for imported materials and components, and reduced market access,” he said.
To combat job insecurity, French is pushing for stronger workers’ rights, including union card certification and a ban on replacement workers, aiming to improve wages and job security through collective bargaining. She also emphasizes the need to protect foreign workers and international students, ensuring they receive fair treatment and access to public health care.
With Canada relying on migrants to address labour shortages and support a postsecondary education system that has been neglected by the Province, Durham Region welcomes newcomers from more than 70 countries each year. They bring “diverse perspectives and talent,” said Gill, adding that economic migrants contribute to the region’s long-term stability while temporary foreign workers help maintain business productivity.
Durham Region’s advantage, according to Gill, is its talent pipeline. The region’s three postsecondary institutions offer programs, partnerships as well as research and development initiatives aligned with industry needs, ensuring businesses have access to well-trained graduates and a steady supply of skilled workers.
Durham Region will continue to work on “identifying future talent requirements and skills so we can unlock rapid growth in key priority sectors,” Gill added, highlighting ongoing efforts in economic diversification and infrastructure development.