A penetrating analysis of the current status of Canadian Black labour to shine a light on the potential for Black empowerment in the labour force.

BRAMPTON, ON, CANADA

A first of its kind study is being launched by the Afro Caribbean Business Network commissioning the services of a Black, Canadian Research firm Dunn, Pierre, Barnett and Company Limited (DPBA). DPBA has been contracted to execute and conduct this study. This survey will collect pertinent information on the Black Labour Market in Ontario, providing insight into economic trends, employment rate, and the gaps in skills across all sectors by geographical areas and gender. The study will also involve collecting and analyzing relevant statistical data and qualitative information regarding the Black Labour force in Southern Ontario. It will also review the black residential labour force, migration and statistical data related to regular and irregular labour migration to determine the link between the Black Labour Market and human resource planning, market needs and availability of skills and vocational training, and educational and other relevant programmes.

The Afro Caribbean Business Network (ACBN) is a Brampton, Ontario based Not-for-Profit Organization dedicated to providing Black businesses with the resources needed to start, grow and scale up their companies; ACBN is proud to be a partner in commissioning the first Black Labour Market Needs Assessment for Ontario.

This Rapid Assessment survey attempts to shine a light on some of the deep-rooted Labour and Employment issues currently facing Black communities in Canada, focusing on Southern Ontario. With this information, ACBN and the broader Black Entrepreneurship Ecosystem will be in better position to support the Black businesses that are in their network.

Upon completion, the analytics gathered by Dunn, Pierre, Barnett and Company Ltd will provide helpful information in assessing the challenges within industries, which ACBN can then use to inform policymakers to develop interventions that will adequately address the skills shortage of the labour market and enable future planning.

This study would be the first of its kind to investigate the Black Labour Market from a scientific perspective based on international benchmarks using ISCO, ISIC and NIACS codes according to International Labour Organization mandates.

This survey was able to commence on April 20, 2022, and is expected to last for no more than three months ending on July 19, 2022.

This project will be spearheaded by DPBA’s very own Dr. Justine Pierre, Labour Market and Migration consultant, in association with Co-founders and Co-Executive Directors of ACBN, Mr. Ryan Knight and Mrs. Nicola Harris, ultimately aiming to increase the number of black entrepreneurs in Canada more specifically in southern Ontario with the expectation to expand this research Nationally.