Executive Summary

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, analysis in 2020 by the Brookfield Institute and partners identified that more than one third of workers in Canada were in occupations projected to grow or shrink by 2030.1 Misalignment in the labour market left tens of thousands of Canadian workers looking for work—with nearly equal shortages for workers in other, in-demand occupations.2 Helping to make these connections between workers and employers, and signalling opportunities and potential pathways—is one of the most pressing opportunities of our time.

Our Job Pathways approach developed a framework for identifying and realizing opportunities to better connect transitioning workers and employers in search of talent. In late 2019, the Brookfield Institute partnered with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada), a national union representing more than 250,000 food and commercial workers across Canada.3 UFCW Canada was interested in exploring risks and opportunities for workers, in food retail—in particular, cashiers and clerks working in grocery stores in Ontario. Workers in these important but often overlooked jobs would soon be identified as ”frontline heroes” as the COVID-19 pandemic descended in spring 2020.4 Economic upheaval prompted by the health crisis resulted in sudden disruptions affecting millions of Canadians and entire sectors and industries. In this context, the potential uses—and positive impacts—of the Job Pathways approach became more pronounced.

Despite economic and technological upheavals, census data show that demand for clerks and cashiers increased in Ontario between 2006 and 2016. Interviews and qualitative fieldwork did find evidence of significant change in the nature of clerk and cashier roles over time, and in terms and conditions available to workers. In a sector that might previously have offered secured and lowbut-reasonably-paid work, we found precarious and part-time hours mixed with low wages. While many workers expressed deep satisfaction for fast-paced work, for opportunities to interact with people, and for the feeling of doing good at work—many of these same workers needed to work two or three part-time jobs to make ends meet. As a result, rather than significant structural disruption or technological change prompting job losses, our team found a sector with surprisingly high annual turnover, as workers sought better jobs.

This report is intended to support workers in the grocery sector and their representatives to successful job transitions. Given the great diversity of workers in the grocery sector, it is clear that no one pathway will work for everyone. Instead, it is hoped that this report illuminates the possibilities and shared lessons that can be applied to assist different people in different ways. There are also important lessons here for job developers and policymakers, who can learn from employer and worker feedback on their real-world needs for training, information, and other supports.