The government of British Columbia (BC) is taking measures to avoid a shortage of workers in the senior-care sector.
Fears of labour shortages are starting to increase as more workers are moving into retirement and Canadian schools aren’t producing enough graduates to cope with the demand. At the same time, Canadian society, as it does globally, continues to age, meaning more and more senior care workers are needed.
“In fact, there are many who believe that the reason we do not have a more acute shortage in seniors’ care today is because many workers delayed their retirement by a couple years due to the financial impact of the current recession. As the country’s economic condition improves, we expect these people will retire and labour demand will increase significantly – and quickly,” explains David Hurford, director of PR and member services for the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA).
BCCPA has recently signed a collaboration with the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, in order to create a provincial strategy to address the skills shortage predictions.
“By taking action to address the skills shortage in our sector, we focus on creating much-needed jobs in the future while improving the quality of seniors care in BC,” points out BCCPA president Christine Nidd.
A report shows a high risk of shortage of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and care aides in BC. The provincial government’s forecast is that over 5200 care aides and LPNs will be needed over the next ten years.
