Workforce Support

Scope of the Workforce Support AG Plan

The Workforce Support Plan focuses on meeting the needs of impacted workforce and making sure that a robust workforce exists for business and industry locally. This may include supporting workers directly with their own disaster-related issues, and/or working with business to increase supports and hiring of local employees.

AG Plan Lead and Committee Members

Organizations
AG Lead: WorkBC
AG Members:

Trail FAIR Society
The Skills Centre
Career Development Services

Additional Case Management and Support Organizations

Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST)
Kootenay Career Development Society
Circle of Indigenous Nations Society (COINS)
Selkirk College
Kootenay Boundary Farm Advisors Program

Incident Quick Start Checklist

Convene the AG committee.
Coordinate with Economic Impact Assessment AG to determine impacts on workforce.
Evaluate businesses within the Workforce AG network to determine impacts on workforce. Provide supports on a one-to-one basis.
Roll out workforce support programming.
Advocate for workforce support to applicable agencies and senior government to accommodate needs of community.

Inventory of Existing Programs and Assets for Workforce Support

WorkBC, The Skills Centre and Career Development Services have systems and connections to help determine workforce needs.
Selkirk College and other training providers can help re-train employees and/or provide training for potential new employees to increase the workforce capacity in our region.

Data Sources

There are a variety of resources for workforce data available to this AG team.

Local municipalities often keep current statistics within their Official Community Plans, as well, workforce support agencies and statistic reports created by the RDI are a great resource for this type of information.

WorkBC specializes in providing data regarding workforce specifics to BC businesses. https://www.workbc.ca/Employer-Resources/Your-Workforce.aspx
Rossland Official Community Plan: https://www.rossland.ca/official-community-plan Community demographic information is contained within the “Community Profile and Projections” section
Columbia Basin Trust / RDI State of the Basin Community Profiles: https://stateofthebasin.ca/reports-resources/community-profiles

An example of the data found within the Community Profiles which would be useful for workforce data is shown below, from the Warfield profile.

Action Plan for Future Preparation and Mitigation Activities

Work to develop flexible childcare strategy for future disruptions.
Ensure processes are in place to allow for flexible licencing requirements for quality of care, Interior Health Community Care Facility Licensing.
Gather a list of community volunteers that may be able to assist in a disaster, to fill the gaps in the workforce shortage.
Examine current workforce availabilities, to build a better picture of vulnerabilities and identify possible solutions.
Encourage mentorship programs, fostering new employees to take over for retiring personnel.
Encourage businesses to keep current contact information on their employees’ and their next of kin, so that they can account for them during and following an emergency.

Typical Response and Recovery Activities

Arrange for transportation options, such as bussing, carpooling options etc. for employees from surrounding areas.
Arrange for temporary accommodation options, such as trailers, RVs or hotels for essential workers.
Facilitate hiring unemployed/displaced workers or local residents for clean-up and recovery efforts.