Collaborating to Engage Large Employers

Collaborating to Engage Large EmployersP R O M I S I N G P R A C T I C E S C A S E S T U DY S E R I E S | C A S E S T U DY 3

E M P L O Y E R E N G A G E M E N T F O R C O M M U N I T Y B E N E F I T

Through funding from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU), First Work

researched and developed a series of case studies to represent the experiences of employers,

employment agencies and other organizations involved in employer engagement initiatives.

The case studies profile innovative examples of promising practices that are intended to promote

the hiring of individuals traditionally underrepresented in the workforce. The lessons learned

suggest strategies that will inform future work in this area.

Emerging from discussions at the Futures Conference, Canada’s largest and longest running youth employment networking event, this series highlights important concepts in employer engagement.

Sponsored by

BACKGROUND

PROFILE OF FIRST WORK

Through supporting the work of local youth employment centres

across Ontario, First Work aims to help young people find and

maintain meaningful employment that will help improve the quality

of their lives.

Visit us at www.firstwork.org

SOCIAL HIRING & SOCIAL HIRING ADVOCATES

Social hiring is the practice of deliberately hiring individuals traditionally underrepresented in the workforce. This includes low-income individuals, people with disabilities, youth, Aboriginals and single parents.

Social Hiring Advocates are defined as one, or a cluster, of organizations—non-profit, private, public or some amalgamation thereof—that are committed to promoting social hiring.

P R O M I S I N G P R A C T I C E S C A S E S T U DY S E R I E S | C A S E S T U DY 3

This case study highlights emerging and

promising practices that employment service

agencies and social hiring advocates can use

to encourage employers to incorporate social

hiring into large-scale infrastructure projects.

It examines the experience of multiple

stakeholders from one Toronto neighbourhood

that are working with the regional transport

authority (Metrolinx) to include community

benefits in their Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail

Transit (LRT) construction project.

This study explores the relationships between

three key stakeholders:

1) Metrolinx, an employer,

2) Skills for Change, an employment agency

and,

3) The Toronto Community Benefits Network

(TCBN), a social hiring advocate.

Overview

Metrolinx is slated to operate Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail

Transit (Crosstown LRT). It is important to note that the Crosstown

LRT is still in the early days of development, with portions of the track

expected to be completed in 2020. Community groups like employment

agencies and social hiring advocates have recognized an opportunity for

the LRT construction to create jobs and other benefits for communities

situated along the proposed line.

“This [transit] line alone will lead to an estimated 46,000 construction-related employment opportunities…” 1

TCBN is currently advocating for the Crosstown LRT project to include

a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), which is a legally enforceable,

written agreement that mandates local and regional community

involvement in an infrastructure project, from design to evaluation.

A CBA must be transparent and closely monitored. It addresses a

wide array of community concerns, including equitable and inclusive

hiring, beautification of neighbourhoods and community spaces, the

creation of union jobs and help mitigating the

repercussions of increased rents caused by the

infrastructure project.

At present, Metrolinx has committed to

working with community stakeholders to

establish general community benefits, but is

not willing to sign an exclusive, legally-binding

Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with

the TCBN. Though they are still hoping for a

CBA, the TCBN will, wherever possible, work

with Metrolinx and other community groups to

achieve both respective and shared goals.

1 University of Toronto, “Shaping Together the Future we Want”, Monica Bennington, Vicky Zhao Dong, Matthew Kelling, Mieka Lewis

Context

Build Strong Relationships and Work Collaboratively

For the Crosstown LRT to create jobs and community benefits, there must be

strong relationships between all three stakeholder groups, and the drive to

work collaboratively to achieve shared goals.

Effective relationship-building is achieved when multiple stakeholders and

individuals make a commitment to ‘come to the table’. By being present at

affiliated meetings and programs, different groups can make their voices heard

and their opinions known. Regular communication between stakeholders

ultimately leads to new ways of thinking and problem-solving, and will help to

ensure that shared goals are achieved.

Emerging Promising PracticesThe following emerging and promising practices for large-scale multi-stakeholder employer engagement were identified through discussion with the stakeholders involved: Build strong relationships and work collaboratively.

Value the contributions that diverse stakeholders bring.

Identify mutual benefits and shared opportunities.

Understand the limitations of stakeholders.

“It’s in everybody’s best interest to collaborate, because only a few [employment agencies] cannot provide all the labour. If we work collaboratively, we can meet the requirements.” — Skills for Change, Employment Agency


The employment agency became involved when they heard a presentation

by the TCBN and decided that they wanted to do more. Such meetings

are held an average of six times a year and are open to community

groups, workforce development agencies, some social equity groups and

employment agencies. Interested groups are welcome, and encouraged,

to connect with the social hiring advocate at any time, to discuss their

interest and/or involvement in the project.

Metrolinx is working with TCBN, among others, to create a framework that

will guide the process of establishing community benefits.

“I really want to salute TCBN... they’re holding us to the fire, being clear about what they want under this agreement, but also very constructive.”

— Metrolinx, Employer.

Over the past year, TCBN has attended six different meetings with

Metrolinx’s senior management representatives, to discuss key issues and

opportunities, and to advocate for a strong community benefits package.

“I knew we needed to be at the table...the more people at the table, the better it is.”

— Skills for Change, Employment Agency


Value the Contributions That Diverse Stakeholders Bring

“We all have a role to play—the community, us, our partners.”— Metrolinx, Employer

It is important for all involved to recognize that each stakeholder brings

something different to the table. Appreciating diverse perspectives and

contributions will build trust and lead to innovative practices.

As a social hiring advocate, TCBN knows firsthand that community

stakeholders each bring different questions and concerns to the table.

Part of the challenge is that community groups or individuals that want

to get involved in a community benefits package with Metrolinx may

not have enough information about industry and legislative regulations

to make reasonable demands. As a result, the employer can be put in

an uncomfortable position, expected to respond to a multitude of

community needs and expectations from those who are not particularly

knowledgeable about the industry process.

“At some level, working with community can be scary. The people are not professionals; they can ask embarrassing or difficult questions. Public input can get a little messy...”

— TCBN, Social Hiring Advocate

Employment agencies and social hiring

advocates can play a role in supporting the

employer to effectively engage with community

members. They can do so by working with

community stakeholders to identify and better

understand opportunities and limitations

within the industry process.

Identify Mutual Benefits and Shared Opportunities

“...we are doing [the employer] a favour by making sure there are trained people that have been assessed and are job-ready...the employer needs first year apprentices anyway...we just want to change who gets those positions. To allocate them to newcomers, to diverse and at-risk-youth communities.”— TCBN, Social Hiring Advocate

When stakeholders work together to identify mutual benefits and shared

opportunities, everyone is more willing to invest in the development

process. Stakeholders involved in the Crosstown LRT have identified

that everyone involved will gain from employment opportunities that

bring economic benefits to the communities situated along the transit

line. All agree that introducing youth to jobs in the trades and opening

up opportunities for internationally-trained professionals are important

initiatives for building a strong future workforce.

An example of this is the Pipeline Project, a pre-apprenticeship and

apprenticeship program that targets youth and their guardians and

encourages them to enter the trades. The project’s objectives include

helping youth to build skills, to get engaged in their community and to

eventually become employable as apprentices.

“It’s in our interest and the province’s interest to train and prepare people in these specialized trades. And if we can do that in a way that trains populations that have traditionally been (under)employed, even better!”

— Metrolinx, Employer

The Pipeline Project represents a shared

opportunity for the social hiring advocate to

help communities situated along the transit line:

If successful, consortiums competing to win

Metrolinx’s construction bidding process will

communicate how many first-year apprentices

they will need to hire and the TCBN will ensure

that a pool of trained, ready-to-work youth

apprentices from the local community are

available for hire once the winning consortium

is ready to begin construction.

“We [Metrolinx] haven’t made the Crosstown RFPs public, because that’s how the procurement process works. We’ve shared sections with them (the social hiring advocate). We aren’t able to put whole thing out yet. [We’re] not supposed to put them out now in midst of the bidding process.”

Understand the Limitations of Stakeholders

In the process of working collaboratively, there are real barriers and

limitations that have made it challenging for stakeholders engaged in

the Crosstown LRT to realize mutual benefits and shared goals. Each

partner needs to educate themselves about these challenges, so that

they can effectively work together to overcome them. TCBN is working

constructively with Metrolinx to understand the limitations, and to offer

innovative and practical solutions. Effective strategies include:

Meeting regularly with Senior Management to discuss key issues

and opportunities,

Supporting Metrolinx to effectively engage with community

partners, and

Preparing to refer a pool of trained, ready-to-work apprentices from

the local consortium to the winning consortium.

An example of the challenges that stakeholders have had to navigate

is legislative requirements. These requirements mandate that the

procurement process for contractors, legally guided under “Infrastructure

Ontario,” must follow strict confidentiality laws. Under this framework,

potential contractors (bidding consortiums) are not permitted contact

with each other, with politicians or the press, or to communicate with the

social hiring advocate.

While the bidding consortiums must outline

what apprenticeship opportunities they will

make available, this information will not be

accessible to the social hiring advocate until

the bidding’s financial close. Understanding

this limitation helps the social hiring advocate

to work within these constraints, and to plan

a realistic timeline. For example, they know

that they must prepare their management plan

to coincide with the financial closing of the

bidding process.


Stakeholders understand that the Crosstown LRT offers opportunities for

learning that can be replicated by future projects of a similar scope. This

case highlights potential system changes that can bring about greater

transparency and public awareness around community benefit clauses.

Working together to effectively overcome challenges will better facilitate

positive change, and the realization of mutual benefits and shared

opportunities.

“[We’re] trying to create a social hiring system… We hope this will become a way that shapes how contractors work with communities. The Crosstown LRT is only one part of transit expansion. There’s more happening.”

— TCBN, Social Hiring Advocate

This multi-stakeholder employer engagement initiative is still in its early

stages, but the emerging promising practices provide useful insights for

employment agencies interested in getting involved in similar large-scale

infrastructure projects.

By building strong relationships, working collaboratively, valuing the

contributions that diverse stakeholders bring, identifying mutual benefits

and shared opportunities and understanding limitations, stakeholders can

create a strong foundation upon which a successful model can be built and

replicated.

Conclusion: Working Through Challenges Together

This publication is one in a series of case studies addressing issues surrounding employer engagement for community benefit. Please visit www.firstwork.org for more information about the series and our organization.

Contributing Stakeholders Metrolinx (Employer)

“[Our] vision is working together to transform the way the region moves”

Metrolinx, a crown agency previously known as the Greater Toronto

Transportation Authority, was created in 2006 by the Government of

Ontario. It is responsible for the management of public transportation

and road transport in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas.

Toronto Community Benefits Network (Social Hiring Advocate)

“We envision Toronto as an inclusive, thriving city in which all residents

have equitable opportunities to contribute to building healthy communities

and a prospering economy.”

The Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) was formed

after the closure in 2005 of the Kodak plant in Toronto’s Mount

Dennis neighbourhood which caused hundreds of job losses. It acts

as an advocate and a negotiating body for new jobs and economic

opportunities in the neighbourhoods situated along the proposed

Crosstown LRT line. It is comprised of five working groups and

a steering committee whose 10 members include four labour

organizations, four community organizations from across the city,

and one social enterprise organization.

Skills for Change (Employment Agency)

“We envision a Canada where every immigrant succeeds.”

Skills for Change was founded in 1983, and mainly serves foreign-

trained professionals. It provides opportunities for immigrants and

foreign-trained professionals to enter or re-enter the labour market by

assisting them with language assessment and instruction, settlement

services, referrals, training and mentoring. Skills for Change offers an

array of programs that are constantly adapting to meet the needs of

those arriving from different parts of the world.

Skills for Change has joined the TCBN in working with Metrolinx

to leverage opportunities for those who possess strong skills and

qualifications, but still face barriers to employment.


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Collaborating to Engage Large Employers

Government & Nonprofit

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