Building Bridges Across Generations in the Workplace

(Jointly released by the Canadian Council on Social Development and the Columbia Foundation , 2001, approx. 30 pp., #600, $10.00)

Canada’s current shortage of nurses could be just the beginning of a looming labour crisis. A general labour shortage or a series of isolated shortages of skilled workers may occur as Canada faces the rapid retirement of baby boomers, beginning as early as 2006.

Few in Canada’s government, industry and labour circles are sufficiently aware of the potential seriousness of the problem. The baby boomers continue to be Canada’s demographic heavyweights. This fact, combined with decreased fertility rates, means that Canada’s workforce is aging. The eldest among the baby boomers have already reached what some people refer to as early retirement age: 55 years. The fact that the transition period between work and retirement now begins at a younger age than it did even a few years ago adds momentum to a phenomenon that should give pause to policy-makers.

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