More than 15 representatives from the city’s major employers have met with the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) to discuss the area’s labour market outlook and workforce needs.
Employers from across key sectors took part in the information session and community meeting and reviewed findings from the CEDC’s Labour Market Outlook Study. The study was co-ordinated at the end of 2025 by Lakehead University business professor Camillo Lento, economics professor Robert Petrunia and associate economics professor Karl Skogstad.
Jamie Taylor, chief executive officer of the CEDC, said the Labour Market Outlook Study serves as a valuable resource for Thunder Bay, providing evidence-based insights to inform local planning, policy development, and workforce initiatives.
“By identifying where labour shortages and surpluses are most likely to occur, the study helps educators, employers, and policymakers align training programs, recruitment strategies, and economic development efforts with emerging needs,” she told The Chronicle-Journal. “The session is really about getting everyone in the same room and on the same page.”
During the session, employers noted gaps in areas such as health and skilled trades.
“There is a need for professionals within health care (doctors and nurses), as well as in the skilled trades,” she said.
Taylor explained how the Scenario Analysis revealed that Thunder Bay’s labour market outcomes are susceptible to work availability.
“Delayed retirement or higher immigration will lead to overall labour surpluses by 2030, whereas higher early retirement or lower immigration will sustain worker deficits through 2033,” she said, adding that the base case notes a net deficit of 872 workers in Thunder Bay in 2026.
“Notable shortages are anticipated in the health, trades, transport and equipment operators sectors. These patterns reflect the combined effects of population aging, increased retirements, and rising demand for health care services.”
Taylor added that most of the labour surplus is projected to be related to business, finance and administration sectors and in the natural and applied sciences sector.
Addressing current and future workforce challenges involves targeted training and educational initiatives that should be aligned with the skills required in occupations facing the most significant projected shortages. There is also the potential of reviewing credentialling for professionals from out of the province and country who may address workforce shortages.
Labour market data from October of 2025 showed that Thunder Bay’s labour force comprises 64,600 individuals, of which 61,100 are employed, and 3,500 are unemployed. This is reflected in the employment rate of 61.3 per cent and the unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent. The national unemployment rate is 6.9 per cent.
Taylor said Thunder Bay has maintained a lower unemployment rate than the rest of Canada due to slower population growth and high demand for employees in sectors such as health care and skilled trades.
“Construction and service sectors contribute to a lower unemployment rate for our community as well, ” she said.
The CEDC meets regularly with the community’s major employers to ensure they are supporting their needs while also responding to the broader needs of the community. It aligns with the CEDC’s support of a resilient and adaptive local economy where residents have access to meaningful employment opportunities, and employers can effectively meet their workforce requirements.
By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Mar 21, 2026 at 10:00
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