The low productivity of Canadian companies threatens our living standards

[daftandbarmy]

Our national race to the bottom continues...

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more​

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies.

“Systemic” is the adjective of the decade. Well, Canada has a systemic problem with economic growth. The OECD projects the growth rate of our GDP per capita will be slower than in every other rich country over the intermediate and longer term. The cause is anemic productivity growth, combined with an aging population. It is exacerbated by high taxes, deteriorating public finances and intrusive regulation.

Economic theory and history both point to significant negative effects of uncompetitively high, complex and distortionary corporate taxes, including a lower depreciation allowance rate. Their effect is raise the cost of capital, cut the returns to investment and thus discourage wealth creation. At the same time, soaring personal income taxes discourage work but encourage top-performing executives and professionals to leave for less punishing jurisdictions. And, perversely, by lowering economic growth, uncompetitive tax rates can actually reduce overall tax revenues.

To provide fiscal room for the tax reductions we need, governments must halt extravagant spending, hire fewer public servants and regulate less intrusively.

Under current plans, however, the federal deficit will hit $43 billion, driving up debt to $1.2 trillion by year’s end. Interest charges, the fastest growing federal expense, will reach $50 billion in 2027. Public-sector profligacy on this scale crowds out private capital investment, undermines productivity growth and limits the possibility of stimulus spending during any future economic slowdown.

Which brings me to our immense energy sector, comprising about a tenth of the economy, with the fourth largest proven crude oil reserves in the world and the fifth largest natural gas reserves. The federal government’s decision to deliberately block fossil fuel access to tidewater and overseas markets, confining exports to the deeply discounted U.S. market, has stranded our vast energy reserves, precluded significant revenue for social programs, undermined national unity and energy security, eradicated jobs in Alberta and across the country and rendered us useless to European allies desperate to replace gas blocked by Putin’s irredentist regime. And what remains of our energy sector must cope with a carbon tax, clean-fuel regulations and a cap on emissions, which the Fraser Institute estimates will cost at least $44 billion in 2030, while providing minimal environmental benefits.

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more

 

[Spencer100]

Our national race to the bottom continues...

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more​

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies.

“Systemic” is the adjective of the decade. Well, Canada has a systemic problem with economic growth. The OECD projects the growth rate of our GDP per capita will be slower than in every other rich country over the intermediate and longer term. The cause is anemic productivity growth, combined with an aging population. It is exacerbated by high taxes, deteriorating public finances and intrusive regulation.

Economic theory and history both point to significant negative effects of uncompetitively high, complex and distortionary corporate taxes, including a lower depreciation allowance rate. Their effect is raise the cost of capital, cut the returns to investment and thus discourage wealth creation. At the same time, soaring personal income taxes discourage work but encourage top-performing executives and professionals to leave for less punishing jurisdictions. And, perversely, by lowering economic growth, uncompetitive tax rates can actually reduce overall tax revenues.

To provide fiscal room for the tax reductions we need, governments must halt extravagant spending, hire fewer public servants and regulate less intrusively.

Under current plans, however, the federal deficit will hit $43 billion, driving up debt to $1.2 trillion by year’s end. Interest charges, the fastest growing federal expense, will reach $50 billion in 2027. Public-sector profligacy on this scale crowds out private capital investment, undermines productivity growth and limits the possibility of stimulus spending during any future economic slowdown.

Which brings me to our immense energy sector, comprising about a tenth of the economy, with the fourth largest proven crude oil reserves in the world and the fifth largest natural gas reserves. The federal government’s decision to deliberately block fossil fuel access to tidewater and overseas markets, confining exports to the deeply discounted U.S. market, has stranded our vast energy reserves, precluded significant revenue for social programs, undermined national unity and energy security, eradicated jobs in Alberta and across the country and rendered us useless to European allies desperate to replace gas blocked by Putin’s irredentist regime. And what remains of our energy sector must cope with a carbon tax, clean-fuel regulations and a cap on emissions, which the Fraser Institute estimates will cost at least $44 billion in 2030, while providing minimal environmental benefits.

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more

Yup. So we will do none of that.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Our national race to the bottom continues...

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more​

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies.

“Systemic” is the adjective of the decade. Well, Canada has a systemic problem with economic growth. The OECD projects the growth rate of our GDP per capita will be slower than in every other rich country over the intermediate and longer term. The cause is anemic productivity growth, combined with an aging population. It is exacerbated by high taxes, deteriorating public finances and intrusive regulation.

Economic theory and history both point to significant negative effects of uncompetitively high, complex and distortionary corporate taxes, including a lower depreciation allowance rate. Their effect is raise the cost of capital, cut the returns to investment and thus discourage wealth creation. At the same time, soaring personal income taxes discourage work but encourage top-performing executives and professionals to leave for less punishing jurisdictions. And, perversely, by lowering economic growth, uncompetitive tax rates can actually reduce overall tax revenues.

To provide fiscal room for the tax reductions we need, governments must halt extravagant spending, hire fewer public servants and regulate less intrusively.

Under current plans, however, the federal deficit will hit $43 billion, driving up debt to $1.2 trillion by year’s end. Interest charges, the fastest growing federal expense, will reach $50 billion in 2027. Public-sector profligacy on this scale crowds out private capital investment, undermines productivity growth and limits the possibility of stimulus spending during any future economic slowdown.

Which brings me to our immense energy sector, comprising about a tenth of the economy, with the fourth largest proven crude oil reserves in the world and the fifth largest natural gas reserves. The federal government’s decision to deliberately block fossil fuel access to tidewater and overseas markets, confining exports to the deeply discounted U.S. market, has stranded our vast energy reserves, precluded significant revenue for social programs, undermined national unity and energy security, eradicated jobs in Alberta and across the country and rendered us useless to European allies desperate to replace gas blocked by Putin’s irredentist regime. And what remains of our energy sector must cope with a carbon tax, clean-fuel regulations and a cap on emissions, which the Fraser Institute estimates will cost at least $44 billion in 2030, while providing minimal environmental benefits.

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more

I've become more and more convinced that to make REAL money here, one must move out of the Cities and go to Rural Canada and become intimately involved with the hewing of wood and the drawing of water.

There are a lot of very high paying jobs in the rural areas and no one to fill the positions.

 

[Eaglelord17]

A huge thing that is going to tank our economy very shortly is the lack of skilled trades. Doesn’t matter what the financial policy is when there is no one there to do the work.

Why is the housing market so expensive? One factor is that it is 400$ a sq ft to build a new house. A big part of that 400$ is the ever increasing cost for tradespeople due to the ever decreasing amount of people able to do that work. So for a average 1200 sq ft house thats 480,000$ and thats excluding if the land is extra expensive. Throw in 500,000k new immigrants a year who aren’t in the skilled trades. Thanks to our high standards and the few countries that meet them (UK, Germany, Italy, etc.) the tradespeople no longer wish to immigrate from.

There isn’t enough millwrights, machinists, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, etc. to sustain our economy. The company I am at has identified one of the biggest risks/challenges for it in the next decade will be having enough skilled labour to do what needs to be done. They are trying to train apprentices but due to the high educational requirements we use for it, they are struggling to even find suitable candidates.

Couple the lack of tradespeople with a increasingly incompetent mechanically society which needs those same tradespeople to do more and more basic jobs, we are in for a lot of trouble.

Our stupidly shortsighted governments and educators over the last 40 years has basically decimated the trades training system in favour of ‘higher’ education. Unfortunately for society that ‘higher’ education isn’t particularly valuable if there is no food to go on the table and no one around to do the work that is needed to be done.

For me to have gotten into the trades I had to do a two year diploma which basically was a waste of time as I had to do a apprenticeship afterwards which covered all the same things. Only thing it did was serve as a gatekeeper preventing people from getting a apprenticeship without the diploma.

From a practical standpoint it was time wasted. I could have started a apprenticeship two years earlier and gotten two more years of work in my career. Hell finishing highschool was a waste. If we started apprenticeships at 16 like they used to thats even more time on the tools and more time getting work done.

In comparison my grandparents were trained in the UK. They were ticketed and trained by 20 and 21 respectively. For me it is around 30 for my ticket and I was still one of the younger apprentices. Thats almost a decade of missed practical work, and for most of the apprentices it is 10+ years.

There is going to be a lot of hurting before things start getting better as we missed the boat to have prevented this disaster, its more a matter of how bad is it going to get before it gets better.

 

[Dana381]

For me to have gotten into the trades I had to do a two year diploma which basically was a waste of time as I had to do a apprenticeship afterwards which covered all the same things. Only thing it did was serve as a gatekeeper preventing people from getting a apprenticeship without the diploma.

I'm curious what trade required a two year diploma?

I went to community College for machinist. That was an 8 month course and when completed we were credited with a full year completed of a four year apprenticeship. I didn't end up staying in the machinist trade and a couple years later I started maintaing a fleet of trucks. I did that for ten years and challenged my license and passed. No school at all. It took ten years because as I didn't have trade school and I didn't work under a licensed mechanic I needed 10,000 hrs to challenge.

Your totally right sbout the shortage of trades people. Every truck shop I know of has 2 or 3 openings.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Our national race to the bottom continues...

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more​

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies

Canada's growth rate predicted to be slowest in advanced economies.

“Systemic” is the adjective of the decade. Well, Canada has a systemic problem with economic growth. The OECD projects the growth rate of our GDP per capita will be slower than in every other rich country over the intermediate and longer term. The cause is anemic productivity growth, combined with an aging population. It is exacerbated by high taxes, deteriorating public finances and intrusive regulation.

Economic theory and history both point to significant negative effects of uncompetitively high, complex and distortionary corporate taxes, including a lower depreciation allowance rate. Their effect is raise the cost of capital, cut the returns to investment and thus discourage wealth creation. At the same time, soaring personal income taxes discourage work but encourage top-performing executives and professionals to leave for less punishing jurisdictions. And, perversely, by lowering economic growth, uncompetitive tax rates can actually reduce overall tax revenues.

To provide fiscal room for the tax reductions we need, governments must halt extravagant spending, hire fewer public servants and regulate less intrusively.

Under current plans, however, the federal deficit will hit $43 billion, driving up debt to $1.2 trillion by year’s end. Interest charges, the fastest growing federal expense, will reach $50 billion in 2027. Public-sector profligacy on this scale crowds out private capital investment, undermines productivity growth and limits the possibility of stimulus spending during any future economic slowdown.

Which brings me to our immense energy sector, comprising about a tenth of the economy, with the fourth largest proven crude oil reserves in the world and the fifth largest natural gas reserves. The federal government’s decision to deliberately block fossil fuel access to tidewater and overseas markets, confining exports to the deeply discounted U.S. market, has stranded our vast energy reserves, precluded significant revenue for social programs, undermined national unity and energy security, eradicated jobs in Alberta and across the country and rendered us useless to European allies desperate to replace gas blocked by Putin’s irredentist regime. And what remains of our energy sector must cope with a carbon tax, clean-fuel regulations and a cap on emissions, which the Fraser Institute estimates will cost at least $44 billion in 2030, while providing minimal environmental benefits.

Joe Oliver: To make Canada more productive cut taxes, deficits, regulations and more

As I was told in another thread its best we give more of our money by way of taxes to the Gov because we're irresponsible with it and if we spend it it will spur on inflation...

So your article is wrong

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

A huge thing that is going to tank our economy very shortly is the lack of skilled trades. Doesn’t matter what the financial policy is when there is no one there to do the work.

Why is the housing market so expensive? One factor is that it is 400$ a sq ft to build a new house. A big part of that 400$ is the ever increasing cost for tradespeople due to the ever decreasing amount of people able to do that work. So for a average 1200 sq ft house thats 480,000$ and thats excluding if the land is extra expensive. Throw in 500,000k new immigrants a year who aren’t in the skilled trades. Thanks to our high standards and the few countries that meet them (UK, Germany, Italy, etc.) the tradespeople no longer wish to immigrate from.

There isn’t enough millwrights, machinists, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, etc. to sustain our economy. The company I am at has identified one of the biggest risks/challenges for it in the next decade will be having enough skilled labour to do what needs to be done. They are trying to train apprentices but due to the high educational requirements we use for it, they are struggling to even find suitable candidates.

Couple the lack of tradespeople with a increasingly incompetent mechanically society which needs those same tradespeople to do more and more basic jobs, we are in for a lot of trouble.

Our stupidly shortsighted governments and educators over the last 40 years has basically decimated the trades training system in favour of ‘higher’ education. Unfortunately for society that ‘higher’ education isn’t particularly valuable if there is no food to go on the table and no one around to do the work that is needed to be done.

For me to have gotten into the trades I had to do a two year diploma which basically was a waste of time as I had to do a apprenticeship afterwards which covered all the same things. Only thing it did was serve as a gatekeeper preventing people from getting a apprenticeship without the diploma.

From a practical standpoint it was time wasted. I could have started a apprenticeship two years earlier and gotten two more years of work in my career. Hell finishing highschool was a waste. If we started apprenticeships at 16 like they used to thats even more time on the tools and more time getting work done.

In comparison my grandparents were trained in the UK. They were ticketed and trained by 20 and 21 respectively. For me it is around 30 for my ticket and I was still one of the younger apprentices. Thats almost a decade of missed practical work, and for most of the apprentices it is 10+ years.

There is going to be a lot of hurting before things start getting better as we missed the boat to have prevented this disaster, its more a matter of how bad is it going to get before it gets better.

I looked in to the trades in my exploration for things to do with myself post-CAF and the bang wasn't worth the buck at my age.

I settled on railroading and became a freight train Conductor. Less training time and a quicker path to riches.

Most of the guys I work with have a trade they started as an apprentice but didn't finish them: machinists, welders, mechanics, etc.

The way apprenticeships are structured, it doesn't make sense a lot of times to continue them. Low pay and when you've got kids and need to put food on the table, well you look elsewhere.

 

[IKnowNothing]

As I was told in another thread its best we give more of our money by way of taxes to the Gov because we're irresponsible with it and if we spend it it will spur on inflation...

So your article is wrong

No you weren't. Stop lying.

 

[Halifax Tar]

No you weren't. Stop lying.

That's not a lie, that's exactly how I ingested and digested those points yesterday.

Perhaps I am incorrect in my understanding of those positions yesterday, but its not a lie.

I mean this is from your yesterday...

The proof is his "common cents" plan, highlighted (again) by the two fundamentally contradictory concepts in my sarcastic post. You/ he can't have it both ways. Cutting the carbon tax would bTe an inflationary move -no different than printing more cheques- and would likely only yield a very short run break at the pumps before increased demand and willingness to pay sees the prices go back up.

The bolded is a long run ideological position. It doesn't address the short run issues impacting the country, nor change the economic concepts underpinning them.

 

[Eaglelord17]

I'm curious what trade required a two year diploma?

I went to community College for machinist. That was an 8 month course and when completed we were credited with a full year completed of a four year apprenticeship. I didn't end up staying in the machinist trade and a couple years later I started maintaing a fleet of trucks. I did that for ten years and challenged my license and passed. No school at all. It took ten years because as I didn't have trade school and I didn't work under a licensed mechanic I needed 10,000 hrs to challenge.

Your totally right sbout the shortage of trades people. Every truck shop I know of has 2 or 3 openings.

The trade itself didn’t require a two year diploma it was the fact no one would hire a apprentice without that two year diploma which is the issue. For me specifically it is machinist and millwright, but I have seen it locally apply to automotive, and electrical the exact same away.

It is changing a bit now though due to desperation. Now most places only need the one year program as a gatekeeper, but the gate keeping is still there.

I understand why companies want it, with the way trades training is structured in this country if you hire a dud thats a lot of wasted money by time you figure that out. And with the way most unions and such work as well you can’t easily get rid of them either.

That being said I have seen more than a few duds with diploma’s because they excel at the school but suck at actually doing the job. Meanwhile they will reject some people who struggle with the schooling but are amazing with their hands.

I looked in to the trades in my exploration for things to do with myself post-CAF and the bang wasn't worth the buck at my age.

I settled on railroading and became a freight train Conductor. Less training time and a quicker path to riches.

Most of the guys I work with have a trade they started as an apprentice but didn't finish them: machinists, welders, mechanics, etc.

The way apprenticeships are structured, it doesn't make sense a lot of times to continue them. Low pay and when you've got kids and need to put food on the table, well you look elsewhere.

It depends on where you are and what trades. For example I have never been paid less than 28$ a hour as a apprentice with the wages steadily rising from there. Top rate I have been paid as a apprentice is 38$ a hour. Being a machinist in Southern Ontario is a cut throat job with wages in the 20s. Where I am in Northern Ontario wages are in the 30s-40s.

Historically the low wage system applied mainly because it was intended for those fresh out of high school/not even finished high school. Now as time progresses that system is becoming less relevant every year with the extreme shortages companies are facing.

Obviously there can be some other good paying jobs out there, such as freight train conductors but like everything, we need a balance of people in the workforce.

 

[Halifax Tar]

The way apprenticeships are structured, it doesn't make sense a lot of times to continue them. Low pay and when you've got kids and need to put food on the table, well you look elsewhere.

This is a few years ago so things may have changed but I remember hearing on the radio that one problem was the journeymen to apprentice ratio that was allowed. And it summarized that the trades kept the ration in the favor of journey to keep the work force in check and in demand.

 

[IKnowNothing]

That's not a lie, that's exactly how I ingested and digested those points yesterday.

Perhaps I am incorrect in my understanding of those positions yesterday, but its not a lie.

I mean this is from your yesterday...

I mean, I clarified multiple times that pointing out that cutting taxes and spending are opposite sides of the same inflationary and fiscally irresponsible coin is NOT the same arguing for more taxes, and multiple times you circled back to that strawman.

 

[Eaglelord17]

This is a few years ago so things may have changed but I remember hearing on the radio that one problem was the journeymen to apprentice ratio that was allowed. And it summarized that the trades kept the ration in the favor of journey to keep the work force in check and in demand.

It also protects the apprentices. People can die if these jobs are done improperly. As someone who has almost died in the trades (almost launched a 10 ton, 16ft roll from a lathe due to inexperience), it is important to have quality training to ensure the safety of all involved. Not to mention when someone does something unsafe not only are they put at risk but so is everyone else, sometimes more so.

If someone is driving a forklift like a idiot through a crowded area and they hit someone due to their negligence, it is the unfortunate person who happened to be in the way that suffers, not the driver.

It can be seen as a attempt to limit the amount of people being trained, but unlike most jobs where if you screw up there isn’t any real consequences, the safety rules for the trades are written in blood.

 

[lenaitch]

The trade itself didn’t require a two year diploma it was the fact no one would hire a apprentice without that two year diploma which is the issue. For me specifically it is machinist and millwright, but I have seen it locally apply to automotive, and electrical the exact same away.

It is changing a bit now though due to desperation. Now most places only need the one year program as a gatekeeper, but the gate keeping is still there.

I understand why companies want it, with the way trades training is structured in this country if you hire a dud thats a lot of wasted money by time you figure that out. And with the way most unions and such work as well you can’t easily get rid of them either.

That being said I have seen more than a few duds with diploma’s because they excel at the school but suck at actually doing the job. Meanwhile they will reject some people who struggle with the schooling but are amazing with their hands.


It depends on where you are and what trades. For example I have never been paid less than 28$ a hour as a apprentice with the wages steadily rising from there. Top rate I have been paid as a apprentice is 38$ a hour. Being a machinist in Southern Ontario is a cut throat job with wages in the 20s. Where I am in Northern Ontario wages are in the 30s-40s.

Historically the low wage system applied mainly because it was intended for those fresh out of high school/not even finished high school. Now as time progresses that system is becoming less relevant every year with the extreme shortages companies are facing.

Obviously there can be some other good paying jobs out there, such as freight train conductors but like everything, we need a balance of people in the workforce.

I grew up with a number of folks who struggled with school but were 'good with their hands' and did really well in life. The first guy I knew to become what I would consider 'well off', was an electrician.

I think a lot of employment sectors were quite happy to have the applicant/student and a publicly-supported post secondary educational system train their trades. One problem with that is the kids who struggle with high school may still struggle with a least some aspects of post secondary. Most colleges require so-called 'liberal arts', non-core-related credits to be part of a diploma.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I grew up with a number of folks who struggled with school but were 'good with their hands' and did really well in life. The first guy I knew to become what I would consider 'well off', was an electrician.

I think a lot of employment sectors were quite happy to have the applicant/student and a publicly-supported post secondary educational system train their trades. One problem with that is the kids who struggle with high school may still struggle with a least some aspects of post secondary. Most colleges require so-called 'liberal arts', non-core-related credits to be part of a diploma.

I know a guy who runs an auto dealership and he has no one in his shop that isn't from another country.

Koreans, Turks, South Americans etc sound like they make great mechanics, work hard, and appreciate every day they get to fix cars, and get paid really well, in Canada

 

[lenaitch]

I know a guy who runs an auto dealership and he has no one in his shop that isn't from another country.

Koreans, Turks, South Americans etc sound like they make great mechanics, work hard, and appreciate every day they get to fix cars, and get paid really well, in Canada

I wonder if they are all ticket-holding mechanics. I assume you can be an offshore-trained mechanic and 'challenge the standard' in a Canadian province to prove they meet our standards.

 

[Quirky]

I looked in to the trades in my exploration for things to do with myself post-CAF

Setting age aside, the amount of labor jobs out there right now, and likely in the foreseeable future, is plentiful. My buddy (ex RCAF), has a start-up construction company and his biggest issue is finding people to complete all the work, he has contracts for years. He can't get workers to show up, even at $40+ hour for general laborer. People don't want to leave the safety of their cities because work outside their safe spaces at coffee shops is scary. They waste thousands of dollars on "higher education" learning but get nothing out of it but life-long debt and woke brainwashing from canadian secondary schools.

I know a guy who runs an auto dealership and he has no one in his shop that isn't from another country.

Did they bring their training and education from their origin country? Canada has plenty of people who would go into all sorts of trades, including automotive repair, but the total cost of tuition vs salary isn't worth it. More so when you consider schools, such as BCIT, are located in extremely high cost of living areas.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Setting age aside, the amount of labor jobs out there right now, and likely in the foreseeable future, is plentiful. My buddy (ex RCAF), has a start-up construction company and his biggest issue is finding people to complete all the work, he has contracts for years. He can't get workers to show up, even at $40+ hour for general laborer. People don't want to leave the safety of their cities because work outside their safe spaces at coffee shops is scary. They waste thousands of dollars on "higher education" learning but get nothing out of it but life-long debt and woke brainwashing from canadian secondary schools.



Did they bring their training and education from their origin country? Canada has plenty of people who would go into all sorts of trades, including automotive repair, but the total cost of tuition vs salary isn't worth it. More so when you consider schools, such as BCIT, are located in extremely high cost of living areas.

I think he's happy mainly because Canadians tend to be lazy, entitled and 'complicated', which are all bad for business ...

 

[Halifax Tar]

I think he's happy mainly because Canadians tend to be lazy, entitled and 'complicated', which are all bad for business ...

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

The trade itself didn’t require a two year diploma it was the fact no one would hire a apprentice without that two year diploma which is the issue. For me specifically it is machinist and millwright, but I have seen it locally apply to automotive, and electrical the exact same away.

It is changing a bit now though due to desperation. Now most places only need the one year program as a gatekeeper, but the gate keeping is still there.

I understand why companies want it, with the way trades training is structured in this country if you hire a dud thats a lot of wasted money by time you figure that out. And with the way most unions and such work as well you can’t easily get rid of them either.

That being said I have seen more than a few duds with diploma’s because they excel at the school but suck at actually doing the job. Meanwhile they will reject some people who struggle with the schooling but are amazing with their hands.


It depends on where you are and what trades. For example I have never been paid less than 28$ a hour as a apprentice with the wages steadily rising from there. Top rate I have been paid as a apprentice is 38$ a hour. Being a machinist in Southern Ontario is a cut throat job with wages in the 20s. Where I am in Northern Ontario wages are in the 30s-40s.

Historically the low wage system applied mainly because it was intended for those fresh out of high school/not even finished high school. Now as time progresses that system is becoming less relevant every year with the extreme shortages companies are facing.

Obviously there can be some other good paying jobs out there, such as freight train conductors but like everything, we need a balance of people in the workforce.

But here is the rub. I can toil at that wage or I can work for the railway and make $50+ an hour. Working the yard, I averaged $50.00+ an hour accounting for OT. If I was called to the road, which due to labour shortages happened very frequently, it was closer to +$90.00 an hour.

I had already driven Warships and was ticketed on a couple of different platforms so the transition to Conductor was very seamless as the environments were very similar.

What's even more crazy is it was easier for me to get qualified as a Freight Train Conductor off the back of my Navy/Military experience than it was for me to go challenge Transport Canada certifications for my Merchant Mariner Ratings.

This is a few years ago so things may have changed but I remember hearing on the radio that one problem was the journeymen to apprentice ratio that was allowed. And it summarized that the trades kept the ration in the favor of journey to keep the work force in check and in demand.

Yah and there is a lot of gatekeeping going on. The Journeymen like using the Apprentices as cheap labour IMO. The standard training plan the railway uses is six months training for a Conductor and you're on probation for the first year.

It can go quicker if you've got a knack for it. I was qualified and working under certification in 13 weeks because I challenged the qual and management was confident in my abilities based off my previous experiences.

You can get additional training as you progress such as Remote Control Locomotive Operator and eventually progress to Locomotive Engineer.

I leveraged my prior experience as an Officer and went in to management with the Company. All of this happened within just over year timeframe. My plan now is to move to Road Management Position and become a certified Locomotive Engineer as a Manager. The railway I work for hires Managers whose only job is to travel around as Engineers and run engines. The pay is extremely lucrative.

Setting age aside, the amount of labor jobs out there right now, and likely in the foreseeable future, is plentiful. My buddy (ex RCAF), has a start-up construction company and his biggest issue is finding people to complete all the work, he has contracts for years. He can't get workers to show up, even at $40+ hour for general laborer. People don't want to leave the safety of their cities because work outside their safe spaces at coffee shops is scary. They waste thousands of dollars on "higher education" learning but get nothing out of it but life-long debt and woke brainwashing from canadian secondary schools.

My Uncle ran a Construction Company for years building homes. His biggest issue is finding workers as well. He can't find any tradesmen under the age of 45 to work for him.

Did they bring their training and education from their origin country? Canada has plenty of people who would go into all sorts of trades, including automotive repair, but the total cost of tuition vs salary isn't worth it. More so when you consider schools, such as BCIT, are located in extremely high cost of living areas.

I see this all the time where I work. I have a number of guys from India and SE Asia that work for me. Many of them came here to study at Colleges and when they found the trades doors getting closed on them, well the railway found them and they work for me now.

They are also my best workers. I have a couple of Punjabi fellows that I refer to as my SWAT team. I know when they show up to work, the job is going to get done and it's going to get done right.