What is this research about?
In the late 1980s, the Task Force on Access to the Professions and Trades in Ontario looked into the requirements for entry to Ontario's professions, occupation by occupation. The Task Force undertook a detailed review of the organizational structures of regulated occupations in Ontario, with a view to determining not only if such structures are giving rise to discriminatory practices but also whether they have the potential to do so, depending upon their use and application.
What did the researchers find?
The Task Force found that few professions were free of discriminatory practices, and that broad, structural solutions were needed to remove systemic barriers to the professions. The Task Force writes that such solutions are "win–win" for the professions and for individuals. It points out that, in coming years, the growing number of immigrants would be increasingly important to the health of the economy because of Ontario's declining birth rate and aging workforce.
Barriers identified included:
Solutions for each barrier are outlined in the report.