DI’s year in review: 2023

In May, DI published the Labour Market Implications for Racialized Youth Report, which shows more Canadian businesses found it challenging to recruit skilled labour in 2021 than in 2013. Canada ranks high among OECD countries on advanced education, yet racialized youth face unique barriers in the labour force and remain an untapped resource in the Canadian economy.

This fall, DI’s work was highlighted in the Globe and Mail. It outlines the important role women entrepreneurs are playing in Canada’s transition to net zero. Studies that look at the innovations driving decarbonization reveal that women-led enterprises—and especially small and medium-sized businesses—play an essential role.

This fall, the City of Toronto brought together 7,000 business owners, entrepreneurs and leaders to celebrate Toronto’s thriving small business community. Mayor Olivia Chow kicked off the event, followed by Rechie Valdez, the minister of small business, to discuss the role of small businesses in Canada. Wendy Cukier presented on a panel about how equity, diversity and inclusion can drive business innovation.

Engage with us on LinkedIn (external link) 

Research published in the Labour Market Insights series (opens in new window)  with the Future Skills Centre covers topics relevant to the study of labour markets and are based on analyses of collated data from online job postings across Canada, as well as other traditional and innovative data sources. 

This July, DI researchers examined the recovery of Canada’s labour market after the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that by the end of 2022 job postings were up, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

In March, WEKH, a program of DI, released the State of Women’s Entrepreneurship (SOWE) in Canada 2023 Research Preview (external link, opens in new window)  in Toronto and online with then-Minister of Small Business Mary Ng. The research, subsequently published in the full SOWE report (external link, opens in new window) , shows that despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic there is cause to be optimistic. Women-owned businesses are a growing proportion of businesses.

WATCH: Minister Mary Ng joins the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (opens in new window) 

This spring the WEKH Indigenous team hosted the Celebrating Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs event. It took place at Manitou a bi Bii Daziigae, at Red River Polytech, located on Treaty 1 Territory in Winnipeg and brought together more than 150 people. Businesses owned and operated by Indigenous women and gender-diverse people were the focus. Attendees enjoyed community, sharing culture and advancing their businesses.

WATCH: Supporting Indigenous women entrepreneurs (external link, opens in new window) 

This July, the Black Business and Professional Association and DI celebrated the leadership of Black women. Insights included that Black women leaders bring diverse perspectives and competencies to the table, making them exceptional in their industries, yet, as DI research has found, they face barriers to reaching leadership roles (opens in new window)  and advancing their businesses as entrepreneurs (external link, opens in new window) . The event also explored solutions.

In June, hundreds of equity, diversity and inclusion professionals gathered to participate in the Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Summit and Awards, organized by the Women's Executive Network (WXN). Nancy Mitchell, director of research for special projects at DI, presented the Chair of the Board 50 – 30 Challenge award. The 50 – 30 Challenge,  (external link, opens in new window) in which DI is an ecosystem partner, promotes the creation of diverse teams on boards and executive teams. 

In October, MyStartr (external link, opens in new window) , the employer-led program and digital platform connecting diverse young people with jobs, moved to  DI from MaRS Discovery District. It joins DI’s suite of services aimed at supporting employers with access to diverse talent from across Canada, including Black and other youth; newcomers, including refugees; Indigenous Peoples; women living in poverty; persons with disabilities and others.

In March, DI shared research on ADaPT (external link, opens in new window)  that shows it has trained more than 1,200 youth, 79% of whom identify as diverse. The program averaged placement rates of over 90% and satisfaction rates of 88%, even during the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. ADaPT is a work-integrated learning program created by DI with support from the Future Skills Centre.

This summer, DI met participants of the Women’s Entrepreneur Hub, who were taking the next step in their entrepreneurial journey by becoming vendors at local markets. The program, now in its fifth year, is an initiative of DI and the Scadding Court Community Centre designed to guide women in creating flourishing businesses. More than 340 women have graduated from the program, with more than 140 of them starting their own businesses. 

In July, students from the Peel District School Board pitched their business plans to judges from HSBC in an effort to earn micro-grants. The competition capped a five-week co-op program for more than 30 students. Supported by the Ontario government’s Black Youth Action Plan (external link, opens in new window) , HSBC and DI’s Advanced Digital and Professional Training (AdaPT) program, the students learned digital skills and applied those skills to build websites.