The Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) met in Halifax to discuss shared labour market challenges and opportunities across Canada. The meeting was co-chaired by the Honourable Patty Hajdu, federal Minister of Jobs and Families, and the Honourable Nolan Young, Nova Scotia's Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration.
Minister Hajdu opened the meeting with an announcement of an additional $2 billion over five years starting in 2026-27 for new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories to expand access to pre-apprenticeship and technical training.
Ministers listened to presentations on the impacts of global economic uncertainty, including trade-related pressures on workers, employers and Pan-Canadian labour markets. Ministers also met with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to discuss the current and future outlook for Canadian labour markets and leaders from Nova Scotia's construction industry.
Ministers reaffirmed the need to help workers and employers adapt to emerging technologies, strengthen skills development, address labour gaps, support long-term economic growth and foster inclusive participation in the labour market.
Discussions focused on five shared priorities: bolstering the skilled trades workforce, Labour Market Transfer Agreements (LMTAs), improving labour mobility and foreign credential recognition, improving pathways into the labour market for youth, and supporting workers in an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled economy.
Bolstering the skilled trades workforce
Ministers discussed the need to strengthen Canada's skilled trades workforce to support major infrastructure projects, foster long-term economic growth and address labour shortages. They highlighted the importance of apprenticeship, training and certification systems in helping workers access opportunities and meet employer needs. Minister Hajdu outlined details of the $6 billion federal initiative that aims to recruit, hire and train up to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades professionals by 2030-31. Ministers underscored that success of this initiative depends on strong collaboration between federal, provincial and territorial governments, building on the apprenticeship, training and certification systems that provinces and territories have built over decades, while respecting the jurisdiction of provinces and territories. Ministers also emphasized the importance of connecting training with real jobs.
Labour Market Transfer Agreements
Ministers discussed the importance of Labour Market Transfer Agreements (LMTAs) in supporting Canada's labour market needs.
