Food Processing Skills Canada’s soon-to-be-released Labour Market Outlook confirms what many food and beverage manufacturers are already experiencing: demand for skilled workers will continue to grow, driven by steady domestic demand and expanding export opportunities.
For employers, success will depend on more than attracting talent. Building a skilled and resilient workforce will be equally critical to improving retention, productivity and long-term competitiveness.
Through years of research and direct engagement with employers, FPSC has examined the impact that workforce development has on business performance. The findings are consistent, organizations that invest in people achieve stronger operational and financial results.
Our work with thousands of businesses across Canada has demonstrated that people-focused workplaces consistently deliver stronger productivity, higher employee retention, safer operations and more inclusive workplace cultures. In fact, employers realize more than $20 in benefits for every $1 invested in workforce training.
Yet workforce challenges remain persistent. From small and growing businesses to large national and multinational manufacturers, employers need easier access to trusted recruitment supports, HR resources, training programs and workforce development tools that help them attract, develop and retain talent.
This need is especially acute among small and medium-sized businesses. Approximately 91% of Canada’s food and beverage manufacturers employ fewer than 100 people, and many operate without dedicated HR professionals or with lean teams responsible for hiring, onboarding, compliance, retention and workplace culture.
That’s why, in June 2026, FPSC introduced Subscription, the only workforce development solution designed specifically for Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing sector.
For the first time, FPSC has brought together industry-recognized training, HR resources, labour market intelligence and expert workforce support into one centralized platform that is simple to access and even easier to use. Subscription transforms decades of FPSC expertise into practical, everyday support, giving employers the workforce resources they need to recruit effectively, onboard confidently, develop employees and retain great people.
Subscribers receive six seats to the Canadian Food Processors Institute, providing access to more than 150 online courses, with over 70 courses available in multiple languages and new content added regularly to support Canada’s diverse workforce. Subscription also includes HR templates, compliance resources, recruitment tools, onboarding materials, retention supports and sector-specific labour market intelligence.
For small and medium-sized processors, Subscription eliminates the need to piece together workforce resources from multiple providers. Food safety training, supervisor development, National Occupational Standards, HR templates, onboarding resources and retention tools are all available in one place. For larger employers, Subscription helps create greater consistency across teams, facilities and regions by reducing duplication while supporting a more aligned and capable workforce.
Subscription provides employers with a practical, industry-specific solution to build the workforce they need today while preparing for the opportunities of tomorrow.