The Canadian Chamber of Commerce unveiled the findings of its Symposium on Skills and Small Business.
The group says Canada must upgrade the skills of its domestic workforce, including the essential skills that are critical for improved training outcomes and productivity growth.
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Statistics Canada estimates 55% of the differences in economic growth between OECD countries can be explained by differences in the average skill levels between countries.
And since small- and medium-sized enterprises comprise half of the employment in the private sector, training should be upped in this area.
“SMEs are the backbone of communities all across Canada, [but] it’s not easy for them to organize and finance training of existing employees,” says Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber’s report makes policy recommendations for all stakeholders and highlights best practices in alleviating skills pressures.
It also reflects the contributions of all symposium participants, which included small biz owners and managers from seven provinces.
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