Federal government releases Sustainable Jobs Plan to spur employment opportunities and growth

OTTAWA — On Feb. 17, Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour, and Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, released the Government of Canada’s interim Sustainable Jobs Plan. This interim plan for 2023-2025 sets an initial frame for the Sustainable Jobs Action Plans that will be released every five years starting in 2025. The Government of Canada’s first Sustainable Jobs Action Plan will be developed over the next two years in close collaboration with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, labour partners, industry, and other key partners to guide efforts over the coming years and decades.

This interim plan defines the federal government’s commitment to make progress on 10 key action areas:

• Establish the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat;
• Create a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council;
• Develop economic strategies through the Regional Energy and Resource Tables;
• Introduce a sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program;
• Advance funding for skills development towards sustainable jobs;
• Promote Indigenous-led solutions and a National Benefits-Sharing Framework;
• Improve labour market data collection, tracking and analysis;
• Motivate investors and draw in industry leadership to support workers;
• Collaborate and lead on the global stage; and
• Establish legislation that ensures ongoing engagement and accountability.

This Plan is an essential component of the Government’s strategy for trying to build a sustainable, prosperous economy.

The Plan represents a first step, not an endpoint according to the federal government. In each of these 10 areas, the coming years will be a chance to work together with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, labour partners, industry, and other key partners to implement these 10 action areas.

Key to these priorities is the Government of Canada’s commitment to introduce sustainable jobs legislation in 2023, which will include a framework for accountability, engagement and transparency. Specifically, the legislation will include guiding principles, governance structures and reporting requirements, including a requirement for the Government to prepare and implement Sustainable Jobs Action Plans starting in 2025, and every five years thereafter. Finally, the Plan includes a What We Heard Report from the public consultations that have taken place over the past two years.

“Canada has what it takes to become the clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a net-zero world. With this plan, the federal government is taking yet another step forward to ensure that Canada’s workers have the skills and support necessary to seize this generational opportunity,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources.