Quebec invests to help employers hire, retain workers aged 60 to 69

Quebec is investing nearly a million dollars to help employers become attractive work environments for workers aged 60 to 69.

The provincial government is setting aside $987,289 for the project from the Conseil du patronat du Quebec.

The project offers employers a guide to best practices, personalized support, evaluations and follow-up services for companies interested in retaining or recruiting these workers.

“This project will better equip SMEs, thanks to personalized support that will promote the hiring of Quebecers aged 60 or over within their organization. It's good for businesses affected by the labor shortage and it's good for those who want to extend their careers,” said Kateri Champagne Jourdain, minister of employment and minister responsible for the Côte-Nord region.

“Companies do not always have the necessary tools to adapt their practices and offer an attractive work environment to people wishing to extend their career or return to the job market and with this project, everyone wins! I invite businesses to register now!”

A previous Statistics Canada (StatCan) report detailed this: Among people who had not completely retired but were planning to retire, more than half (55.1%) said that they would continue working longer if they could work part-time, and about half (48.9%) would continue working if they could work fewer hours without it affecting their pension.

However, in Quebec, the majority of Quebec companies do not have a recruitment strategy adapted to reaching older workers, according to the provincial government. It noted that surveys carried out by the Quebec Employers' Council found that only 8% of them have a policy or practices for recruiting or retaining these people, and 70% do not know the resources to contact them.

At the start of this year, numerous changes to the Quebec Pension Plan came into force. They offer concrete benefits to Quebecers who decide to extend their career or return to the job market.

Sectors affected by labour shortage

The project is currently focused on employers in sectors affected by the labor shortage, such as the construction, manufacturing, retail, hospitality services sectors. and catering.

Businesses from all regions of Quebec wishing to receive personalized, free support lasting 35 hours are invited to contact the Conseil du patronat du Québec.

Some 20 companies already benefit from this, and CPQ President and CEO Karl Blackburn says he hopes to increase that number to 90, according to a report from The Canadian Press published on CTV News.

If the project proves successful, Blackburn said he would like to extend it to other sectors, according to the report.

If Quebec had had the same employment rate for people aged 60 to 69 as that observed in Ontario in 2023, approximately 42,000 more people would be in the labor market, according to the provincial government.

“Experienced workers have valuable expertise that just needs to be shared, for the benefit of younger generations and businesses themselves. The integration and retention of experienced people in the workplace requires the implementation of personalized measures aligned with their needs and realities,” said Manon Poirier, CRHA, general director of the Order of Certified Human Resources Advisors.

“Although convinced of the value of their contribution, many organizations do not know how to go about it. It is to support and equip these employers, particularly SMEs who have little or no internal HR expertise, that the Order has designed a free, accessible and user-friendly toolkit. Let us remember that diversity in all its forms is a guarantee of innovation and success.”

The Conseil du patronat du Québec toolkit is available here.

More than three in four women across the world have experienced ageism throughout their careers, according to a previous report.

The Order of Certified Human Resources Advisors, with government funding, has also developed a practical toolkit to help employers attract and integrate workers aged 60 and up.