Canada must bolster skills training as jobs are lost to automation, says economic council head

The head of Canada's economic growth advisory council says that governments need to proactively address the growing income inequality caused by the loss of jobs to automation, reports the Canadian Press. Dominic Barton stated at a recent conference that roughly 40% of existing Canadian jobs will vanish in the coming decade due to automation, a trend that could greatly exacerbate income inequality. To this end, the government is currently discussing the creation of an independent organization known as the “FutureSkills Lab,” an independent organization that would consider a number of pilot training programs with financing secured from governments, business, and unions. The Globe and Mail reports that the proposed organization would also gather information on labour market needs and rigorously measure the outcomes of its programs. Times Colonist (CP) | Globe and Mail