Canada's economic ambitions face skilled workforce challenges, Liberal MPs warn

Two Liberal MPs responsible for supporting Ottawa's labour and industry policy agendas say Canada's plan to fast-track major capital projects is putting mounting pressure on a workforce already struggling to meet demand. Honda employees work along the vehicle assembly line in Alliston, Ont., on Thursday, April 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Two Liberal MPs responsible for supporting Ottawa’s labour and industry agendas say Canada’s plan to fast-track major projects is putting mounting pressure on a workforce already struggling to meet demand.

Leslie Church, parliamentary secretary to the minister of jobs, says the federal government’s push to develop key nation-building projects is making long-standing weaknesses in Canada’s labour force harder to ignore.

She says there is a disconnect between workers looking for jobs and the industries struggling to find workers, including a mismatch of skills, training barriers and other challenges.

Church says the government is investing in apprenticeships and training incentives to accelerate workforce development, while employers and schools also need to work together to ensure training and labour needs are aligned.

Karim Bardeesy, parliamentary secretary to the industry minister, says Canadian businesses have historically invested less in employee training than their counterparts in other OECD countries.

He says employers are also grappling with gaps in the soft skills of workers, which he called a lingering effect of the pandemic.

Church and Bardeesy’s comments came during a panel discussion during a conference hosted by the Future Skills Centre in Toronto on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026

Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press