Toronto's Vital Signs® Issue Area
Work

Why it matters “Strategies to link employers with immigrant talent need to be implemented if Toronto is going to become the vibrant city we want.” - Honey Crossley, Executive Director Working Skills Centre

• The Toronto Region continues to earn high marks for labour attractiveness, scoring 4th out of 24 global metropolises on the Toronto Board of Trade’s Scorecard on Prosperity (behind London, Paris and Calgary).
• The youth unemployment rate in the Toronto Region was 22.3% above the national average in 2010.
• For the 80,000 highly skilled, well-educated immigrants who arrive in the Toronto Region in search of opportunity, they are twice as likely as Canadian-born to be unemployed.

Featured solutions from our Community Knowledge Centre
Our Community Knowledge Centre features solutions to the issues identified in Toronto's Vital Signs. Organizations who have received a grant from our Vital Toronto Fund are identified.

		Working Skills Centre Since 1978, Working Skills Centre (WSC) has empowered over 50,000 immigrants, primarily women, providing skills training and orientation to Canada, enabling them to obtain employment in their career sectors and become self-sufficient. Their purpose is to prepare their clients to fully participate in Canadian society by providing education, work experience, and settlement services that ultimately lead to employment. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2011 Learn more about Working Skills Centre »
		Scadding Court Community Centre Scadding Court’s Catalyst program is community development “from the inside out”. It uses gainful employment to work intensively with youth who are out of school, out of work and living in marginalized situations. It provides paid employment, training, the possibility of advancement within the centre, mentorship by experienced staff, individual counselling and support and many opportunities for personal and professional development. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2009 Learn more about Scadding Court Community Centre »
		Common Ground Co-operative Common Ground Co-operative’s mission is to bring together talent, knowledge and expertise found in existing institutions, agencies, businesses and other community groups to support the creation and maintenance of social enterprises in the form of small business partnerships among people with developmental disabilities, to provide the dignity of meaningful and sustainable employment. Vital Toronto Fund award recipient 2009 Learn more about Common Ground Co-operative »