New labour market projections suggest the aging population in Thunder Bay, Ont., can’t sustain the existing economy, despite early success in programs to boost the city's workforce. The local data is in line with Statistics Canada census figures suggesting the working population is older than it's ever been.
In a climate where skilled trade workers are retiring at a rate among the highest in the workforce, graduations from programs in northwestern Ontario have declined by a third since 2001. Despite efforts to promote gender diversity, men still form the bulk of all tradespeople.