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Future Skills Centre Research

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Searching for Strengths: Gaps and Opportunities for Social and Emotional Skills Development in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector

The tourism and hospitality (T&H) sector was hit especially hard by the pandemic. The International Monetary Fund reported that the industry “will continue to struggle until people feel safe to travel en masse again.” Helping displaced workers in the sector find new and meaningful employment is crucial to both the people who have been directly affected and the broader economic recovery.

Issue briefing  |  15-min read
September 21, 2021
Focus Area—Education & Skills
Client—Future Skills Centre

Finding Value: Identifying and Assessing Social and Emotional Skills in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the tourism and hospitality (T&H) sector, leading to business closures and employee layoffs. Traditionally, the T&H sector attracts young Canadians with little to no work experience. Yet young T&H workers who have no work experience outside of the sector have been severely impacted by layoffs.

Impact paper  |  15-min read
September 21, 2021
Focus Area—Education & Skills
Client—Future Skills Centre

Social and emotional skills are in high demand

The Conference Board of Canada is conducting interviews (1-hour) asking participants to share their experiences with social and emotional skills in the workplace. How do you use social and emotional skills at work? Are you interested in how your skills are recognized? Tell us about your experiences.

Online experience  |  2-min read
Deadline: October 12, 2021
Focus Area—Education & Skills
Client—Future Skills Centre

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Focus Areas

Latest Research

Waste-management firms have a plastics problem

We lead the world in the generation of solid waste per capita. Plastic waste pollution is one of the seminal environmental issues of our time. On this front, our performance has been poor. Only a quarter of plastic waste is collected, with just nine per cent being recycled. The “take-make-waste” paradigm of our linear plastics economy is unsustainable. A reset is overdue.

Op-ed  |  4-min read
September 27, 2021
Focus Area—Sustainability

Provincial Economies Get a Boost: Provincial Outlook

Canada’s economic growth will be uncharacteristically robust over the next two years as it rebounds from the severe shutdowns in key sectors of the economy in 2020. The speed of the pandemic-induced decline in the spring of 2020 has been followed by a rapid recovery as restrictions are eased.

Online experience  |  8-min read
September 23, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

Retail sales decline as consumers redirect their spending

The steam is fading. After public health restrictions were eased around many parts of the country in June, retailers naturally saw a boost to their sales. However, as restrictions continued to ease in July, many Canadians decided to spend on leisure activities such as travel and dining rather than on retail goods.

Quick take  |  2-min read
September 23, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

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Low-income Canadian households will suffer the most from soaring inflation

Canadians have been enjoying the return of some simple pleasures over the last few months. As the vaccination rate has increased, people have been heading out to patios, booking vacations, and engaging in social activities. This is good news. But every rose has its thorn. Provincial and territorial reopenings have also brought with them a spike in prices.

Op-ed  |  4-min read
September 21, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics