Workers harmed by too little technology not too much, says new report

VANCOUVER, BC, April 25, 2022 /CNW/ – There is minimal proof that robots and other sophisticated technologies are displacing staff and triggering technological unemployment in Canada. To the contrary, Canada’s adoption of new technologies has slowed drastically in the latest decades. That is the conclusion of a important new report on automation in Canada’s economic climate, from the Centre for Foreseeable future Get the job done.

The report, titled Exactly where are the Robots?, by labour economist Jim Stanford, assessments 9 empirical indicators of Canadian innovation, technological know-how adoption, and robotization. They paint a worrisome photo that Canadian businesses have significantly diminished their innovation energy since the change of the century, and are lagging properly behind other industrial countries in implementing new technological innovation in the real economic system.

There is no proof that robots are reducing the quantity of do the job in Canada’s economic climate. Instead, weak financial commitment in new thoughts and new equipment is undermining the high quality of get the job done: with much too lots of jobs currently being developed in low-wage, small-tech, insecure occupations (primarily in private providers), and underutilizing Canadians’ skills.

Shockingly, the report finds that the normal capital-labour ratio in Canada (that is, the sum of machinery and other funds employed by the standard worker) has been falling for various several years, starting even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This undermines efficiency, incomes, and exports.

The report tends to make 6 policy tips to increase innovation and technological know-how adoption in Canada, such as: reforming fiscal incentives, growing general public R&D, nurturing industries that use much more robots and machinery, and offering personnel much more say in how technological adjust is executed in workplaces.

Reviews attributable to Dr. Jim Stanford, Economist and Director, Centre for Long term Get the job done:

“Far from shedding sleep above no matter if robots are likely to get our work opportunities, Canadian staff need to be more worried with the sluggish speed of technology adoption by their employers.”

“The failure of Canadian companies to employ new systems is foremost to an growth of minimal-high-quality positions, keeping back again our efficiency and incomes, and squandering the opportunity for much more leisure time.”

“Technologies will be neither the hero nor the villain in the foreseeable future of operate – it all is dependent how know-how is applied, and how the fees and gains are shared. But the fact is that Canada’s technological functionality is flagging badly.”

“Revitalizing technological innovation and adoption in Canada, and making sure it improves the high quality of work (somewhat than displacing personnel), is very important to Canada’s long term economic and social development.”

The entire report, Exactly where are the Robots? The Stunning Deceleration of Technological innovation in Canadian Workplaces, can be accessed at https://centreforfuturework.ca/. The report was revealed by the PowerShare undertaking, a partnership of the Centre for Future Operate and the Canadian Centre for Coverage Options with assist from the Atkinson Foundation.

Source Centre for Foreseeable future Get the job done

For more data: or to prepare remark, make sure you get in touch with Jim Stanford at 647-544-2150 or [email protected]