Identifying employment opportunities for low-income people within the Manitoba innovation framework

This report arises out of the coincidence of two powerful socio-economic and demographic trends that are of considerable importance to Manitoba's future. First, like most other parts of the industrialized world, Manitoba is facing an impending labour shortage, and in particular a shortage of skilled labour. We are already beginning to feel the effects of this demographic shift, but the shortage of skilled labour is expected soon to worsen, threatening our ability to manage our economic future. Second, in Manitoba generally and Winnipeg in particular, there are large and growing numbers of working age people who exist outside the formal labour market, or who do not have a permanent attachment to the formal labour market. The result: impending skilled labour shortages existing alongside a large and under-utilized, and even non-utilized, labour supply. This is a recipe for a great many problems; it calls out for innovative solutions.