THE BC Chamber of Commerce (BC Chamber) announced on Tuesday that it has launched a new two-phase initiative that will address British Columbia’s acute workforce challenges and help build labour force capacity and resiliency.

Funded by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the work will be undertaken in two phases through to January 2024.

Phase 1 of the initiative kicks off with the launch of the “Addressing the Labour Market Gap” survey that will seek to understand the needs of employers and job seekers.

During Phase 2, the BC Chamber will undertake community engagement activities in each of the seven economic regions of the province to identify appropriate solutions to the data findings.

Phase 1 will culminate in the publication of a report of the data findings in May 2023. Phase 2 will culminate in a final report that will include next steps published in May 2024.

“Workforce challenges are the number one business issue in B.C. and will be with us for years to come,” says Fiona Famulak, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce. “This solutions-focused study is unique in that it will seek to understand the challenges and needs of both employers and job seekers across the seven economic regions of our province, provide provincial and regional data that will shed light on why they are not finding one another and help us develop innovative solutions in response to the disconnect.”

“Whether it’s employment, food, or social supports, we fund projects that help people participate, feel valued, and share in the prosperity of B.C.,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “We’re funding the BC Chamber’s study so we can get the best jobs for workers and the best outcome for businesses that employ them.”

The “Addressing the Labour Market Gap” survey will run from February 7 until Friday, February 24 at 5 p.m. PT.

The survey is open to all and can be accessed here.

More information about the initiative can be found here.