OTTAWA — Tourism HR Canada will lead a pan-Canadian task force and initiatives to combat the labour challenges impacting the tourism sector, with funding support from the Government of Canada through its National Priorities Stream.

Tourism HR Canada and the Tourism Workforce Recovery and Growth Task Force will identify specific workforce-related issues impacting the sector’s ability to meet increasing demand and provide direction and tools to address them. Among the initiatives are: a comprehensive attraction and retention strategy; a recovery program and services for re-skilling and upskilling; a digitalization strategy to enhance business resilience; tools to help employers manage new HR demands; and continued workforce/labour market research to inform strategies.

The work will align with key existing and incoming national, regional and local labour market plans and strategies, including the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Specific attention will be given to Indigenous tourism workforce development.

“[This] announcement demonstrates our government’s continued commitment to strengthening the foundation for growth in our tourism sector,” said the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance. “The visitor economy and the many partners that deliver unforgettable experiences to Canadians and international visitors boost Canada’s economic health. These Canada-wide investments will support our upcoming renewed Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, placing Canada on the global stage as a premier tourism destination.”

“Forget a labour shortage — tourism is facing a labour crisis,” said Philip Mondor, president and CEO, Tourism HR Canada. “Tourism’s workforce was devastated by the impacts of the pandemic and has yet to recover. Many employers are having difficulty attracting talent in a very competitive job market. The increasing demand for Canada’s unique tourism experiences is grossly outpacing the number of workers available to provide the world-class service we aspire to. We require cohesive, collaborative action to secure and support a skilled, diverse, and inclusive workforce. We are grateful for the strong support of the federal government through the National Priorities Stream; this funding allows us to develop a targeted strategy and a suite of resources aimed at labour and training needs.”

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