I'm including myself. I'm not talking about political retirements. I'm completely non-partisan. Do I get my 30 seconds back?
I am part of a larger coalition but have been asked to speak specifically to some of the health sector issues. I'd like to bring to your attention today five pieces of information, five data points.
The first is that in 2005 the average age of individuals in health occupations was 41.9 years. That's almost two and a half years older than the average age of the general Canadian workforce. One example: in the profession of nursing—I know you'll hear from some of them later on—approximately 38% of the nursing workforce is over 50 years of age and very close to retirement.
The third point, and this should be of particular interest to a finance committee, is that in 2006 just over one million people across Canada, or one in ten employed Canadians, worked in the health system/industry. This represents 6% of the total Canadian workforce and indicates that it is one of the major employment industries in Canada. It's not just a cost centre.
Fourth point: in 2007 Canada spent $160 billion on health care. We all know about that. It is estimated that between 60¢ and 80¢ of every health care dollar in Canada is spent on health human resources. In other words, of the $160 billion, $96 to $128 billion went towards health human resources. We really cannot afford to ignore this sector or assume that it's done and checked off our list.
The fifth point: Canada is not alone in having a shortage of health service providers. The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide there is a shortage of more than four million health care providers and there needs to be a 70% increase in the world's health workforce to address current and projected shortages. In other words, we can't rely on other markets; we can't look elsewhere. We must have homegrown solutions.
What does all of this mean? I have some data. I've shared with you some facts, but there is a huge challenge in truly understanding how to move forward. Today I'm wearing the hat representing community colleges and technical institutions. In these areas in particular there is a dearth of information.
One example is in a profession I've worked with closely: physiotherapy. We did a survey a few years ago and discovered that training can range from two weeks to two years. It's not competency based; there are no standards. We can't even come up with all of the data in an aggregate pan-Canadian level to determine where we go in terms of planning for the future.
So governments and health system stakeholders really do need to work to build the capacity to adequately anticipate and accommodate changes in the health system. But, Mr. Chairman and committee members, the skilled worker shortage is not limited to the health sector. Indeed, in almost every sector of the economy, skilled worker shortages are beginning to have a significant impact on the competitiveness and productivity of the Canadian economy. From manufacturing to construction, forestry to mining, aerospace to hospitality, skilled workers are the lifeblood of these sectors and integral to our future economic successes. While immigration is part of the solution—I've already referred to that—it is not a panacea, as new immigrants rely on Canada's community colleges for upscaling and retraining. Unless we significantly increase domestic training capacity, Canadian businesses will continue to struggle in the decades ahead.
I hope that's not the full five minutes.