CBJ JULY 2026

WHAT KEEPS BUSINESS LEADERS UP AT NIGHT? 140 W hen I ask business leaders what keeps them up at night, it is not only about supply chains, inflation or rising commodity prices. The number one concern is about talent. HOW DO I fill critical staff vacancies in a tight labour market? Where can I find workers who are digitally literate? How can my employees upgrade their skills in a way that makes my company more innovative and competitive? Meeting those just-in-time talent needs is becoming one of Canada’s biggest challenges, exacerbated by lower than usual immigration numbers, aging demographics, the ability to work remotely for firms in other countries and a pandemic-fuelled withdrawal from the labour market. Our post-secondary educational institutions need to work at this intersection of business needs and talent development. At Saskatchewan Polytechnic, for example, we are addressing acute labour shortages in the long-term care sector with a new program to train supportive care assistants. After more than 20 months of immense pressure on the healthcare system, we are finding new ways to ensure the sector has the people it needs in critical roles. Six weeks of online training followed by