Tomorrow’s Workforce

The observations of the preceding chapters are clear: projections suggest a decrease in the demographic weight of Francophones in Ontario between now and 2028, technology is developing at a wild rate, pushing the government to take a digital turn and to review the traditional delivery of its services. For the Commissioner, this is synonymous with the repercussions for Francophones and the positions that they occupy, at a time when the public service is already shrinking considerably and facing large-scale departures for retirement.

Over the next 10 years, over three quarters of Assistant Deputy Ministers will be eligible to retire. The retirement eligibility rates of individuals likely to access these positions, like directors and senior managers, are also high (63% and 47%).¹³⁷ This is coupled with the departure of the baby boomers (i.e., individuals born after the Second World War, between 1946 and 1965) who have already retired or who are nearing retirement.

The concern also carries over to public servants who experienced the implementation of the French Language Services Act. Many bilingual public servants were hired in the province between 1986 and 1989 on the heels of the adoption of the Act in order to guarantee the right to receive services in French from Ontario ministries and government agencies. This cohort of entirely bilingual management-level employees will soon retire after about 30 years of service. Retirement on this scale creates large gaps to fill in the coming years. There is cause for concern. Not only is the aging population leading to large-scale retirement, but technological developments will have significant repercussions on jobs and on the provision of services in French in Ontario.

• 1. Changing jobs
• 2. Global competencies
• 3. Language as a vehicle for professional intervention
• 4. Training and postsecondary education