Trudeau is urging businesses to rehire workers and get the economy back on track
More than 46,500 jobs in essential services have opened this week through the Job Bank, bringing the total number of vacancies to about 76,000. This is one of the first signs of the Canadian government’s shift from crisis response to economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging Canadian businesses to rehire employees in a bid to get the economy back on track. Tapping into the country’s wealth of human resources will be crucial to economic recovery, he said.
READ MORE: Trudeau calls for paid sick leave to combat COVID-19 second wave
The disruption from COVID-19, Trudeau believes, has put “enormous financial pressure on everyone – from students, to young professionals, to families”.
If you’re looking for work right now, there are thousands of jobs available in our agri-food sector and more than 44,000 openings in essential services. To see how you can contribute to Canada’s response to COVID-19, check out the Job Bank here: https://t.co/3ODiMRfr38
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 26, 2020
“During the first few weeks of the crisis, people’s lives were turned upside down. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians lost their job through no fault of their own – without warning – because of this pandemic,” the prime minister said at a news conference this week.
The federal government is hoping businesses will ease back into operations with the help of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, which shoulders 75%, or up to $847 per week, of an employee’s wages at companies that have been severely hit by the pandemic.
With billions of taxpayer dollars invested into financial assistance programs, the government wants to give employers a boost in reopening their business, and give employees a shot at rejoining the workforce. But fewer than 300,000 businesses have since taken up a slice of the $7.9bn aid package.
READ MORE: 'You deserve a raise': Canada to boost pay for frontliners
“Maintaining the connection between employer and employee is key not just to helping people get back on their feet, but to keeping our economy strong,” Trudeau said. “That’s why it’s so important that employers take advantage of this program and rehire their workers.”
For Canadians looking to explore employment opportunities, Trudeau recommends searching through tens of thousands of listings on the Job Bank.
More than 300 million people globally will be out of work, and more than 30 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty, because of COVID-19. As a country where people’s jobs depend on economies around the world, and as Canadians, we must do all that we can to help out.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 26, 2020
For its part, the Job Bank assures Canadian workers: “The labour market is not closed – it’s adjusting to the realities of COVID-19. Employers are still looking for workers, with many in key sectors that are continuing to provide services to Canadians.”
