Access to stable employment has long been a problem for many residents in east downtown Toronto. To address this issue, Public Interest was contracted by the City of Toronto and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to review employment practices in low-income neighbourhoods in east downtown Toronto and to recommend alternative models of service.
The scope of this review included
- Studying local demographics and the regional economy
- Identifying existing barriers to employment
- Determining the availability of economic and skill development programs and employment support programs within the community.
We coordinated an extensive employment, skills, and economic development study that identified best practices in similar economies, analyzed current local practices, and proposed an alternate model and a strategy for moving to a more effective delivery of service. Our study also involved conducting an extensive poll with residents of the area regarding their current and desired employment and their use of local programs and services. The results of the study are now the subject of an intergovernmental round-table process in Toronto.
The full report can be accessed here: East Downtown Employment Study.
