The Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation (OCWI) was a research hub dedicated to building a more skilled, resilient, and productive Ontario workforce. Established to tackle employment challenges through evidence-based approaches, OCWI brought together service providers, employers, researchers, and policymakers to improve workforce development across the province.
“OCWI is committed to fostering a more skilled, resilient and productive Ontario workforce,” stated the organization’s core mission. Rather than simply funding services, OCWI focused on testing new approaches, documenting what worked, and sharing these insights widely to improve employment outcomes for Ontarians facing various barriers to work.
Who Created OCWI and When
Launched in February 2016, the Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation (OCWI) emerged from Ontario’s Employment and Training Services Integration process, which aimed to modernize and transform the province’s employment and training programs. Led by Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), OCWI was funded by the Government of Ontario with an annual operating budget of $3.5 million.
The center was formed through a consortium of 12 diverse and multi-sectoral partners, with a dedicated Working Group steering the organization through its start-up phase. Later, Executive Director Dr. Trina Foster led OCWI with support from a Steering Committee representing educational institutions, industry organizations, and community groups.
Regional Presence
OCWI operated through five regional hubs strategically located across Ontario:
- Toronto (Central Region)
- Thunder Bay (Northwestern Region)
- London (Western Region)
- Kingston/Gananoque (Eastern Region)
- Sudbury (Northeastern Region/Francophone coordinating center)
This regional approach ensured OCWI’s work remained locally informed and regionally relevant. Each hub collaborated with local employment service providers, employers, and community organizations to identify workforce needs specific to their regions.
“We operate in around the province to support an integrated approach to workforce development. Through our regional hubs, we keep our ear to the ground to ensure our work is always locally informed and regionally relevant,” the organization explained on its website.
Core Activities
OCWI’s work centred around three interconnected activities:
- Research and Innovation: OCWI identified, conducted, and funded research projects to develop innovative approaches for workforce development. The center supported multiple types of research initiatives, including standard research projects, Design Jam projects developed through brainstorming sessions, case studies of successful practices, and exploration projects testing new solutions.
- Knowledge Transfer and Exchange: The center translated complex research findings into accessible, actionable information for stakeholders. This included reports, toolkits, webinars, and other resources designed to share evidence-based practices across the province.
- Capacity Building and Training: OCWI provided knowledge and training to help employment service providers implement evidence-informed approaches in their programs.
Other important OCWI-funded work included the “Enhancing Career Pathways for the Childcare Sector” report (by the Learning Enrichment Foundation) and the “Meaningful Employment for Humanities and Social Sciences Graduates” report prepared by Christopher Rastrick. Both projects explored targeted supports for often-overlooked workforce segments.
New Jobs, New Needs
As the labour market changed, OCWI highlighted new trends such as automation, digital work, and remote employment. This helped Employment Ontario guidelines evolve to better support job seekers and training providers.
Organizations like Youth Empowering Youth and the Hospitality Industry Training Organization of Ontario benefited from OCWI’s focus on skills for emerging industries. Whether preparing people for humanities and social sciences jobs or guiding apprenticeship sponsors in Ontario, OCWI worked to align training with real opportunities.
Online Gambling Jobs: Growing Sector in Ontario
Ontario’s regulated online gambling sector, particularly iGaming, has become a fast-growing source of employment. OCWI’s models could easily be applied to assess this new industry. The online gambling market includes jobs in software development, customer support, digital marketing, compliance, and responsible gambling.
As more people turn to regulated platforms for online gambling with real money in Canada, there’s a growing need for trained staff who understand both the technology and the social responsibility involved. OCWI-style research could help assess workforce needs in this sector, supporting job service providers in offering tailored training.
Key Themes in OCWI Research
OCWI’s research portfolio addressed several recurring themes in workforce development:
- Mental Health Support: Multiple projects focused on supporting job seekers with mental health issues, which providers identified as one of the biggest barriers faced by clients.
- Labour Market Analysis: OCWI examined regional labour markets, skills gaps, and changing profiles of unemployed populations to identify emerging trends.
- Support for Marginalized Groups: Research targeted specific populations, including singles on social assistance, newcomers/immigrants, youth, and Indigenous communities.
- Employer Engagement: Projects focused on improving connections between employers and job seekers through strategic, coordinated approaches.
- Skills Development: Programs focused on building essential skills while enhancing motivation and resilience.
- Career Pathways: OCWI worked to create clearer routes to employment and advancement for various sectors, including efforts like the Childcare Career Pathways study and support for apprenticeship sponsors in Ontario.
Research That Makes a Difference
OCWI took its knowledge mobilization role seriously, ensuring that research findings didn’t just sit on a shelf. The center created accessible, practical resources for frontline workers, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Information was shared through:
- Detailed research reports
- Summary documents in plain language
- Videos and webinars
- Community presentations
- Training materials for service providers
All resources were made freely available, reflecting OCWI’s commitment to open access and knowledge sharing across Ontario’s workforce development ecosystem.
OCWI also facilitated research summaries and engagement sessions like “Conversations with Employment Ontario Service Providers” to better understand challenges on the ground. These conversations helped ensure that solutions were grounded in real service delivery experiences.
Flagship Projects You Should Know
In Motion & Momentum
This pre-employment program helped participants build essential skills while enhancing motivation, resilience, and optimism. It consisted of two components:
- In Motion: A 3-week program helping participants create a vision, build employability skills, and set realistic goals
- Momentum: A 4-week program where participants implemented a community project to practice skills, extend networks, and build confidence
The program evaluation showed impressive results:
- 60% of participants reported increased self-esteem
- 40% reported stronger social supports
- 93% reported feeling more positive about the future or less discouraged
- 38% were employed or in education 2-3 months after program completion
As one participant shared during evaluation:
“Before the program, I felt I had been ‘wasting my life away,’ but attending In Motion & Momentum had restored my sense of self and given me a much more positive outlook on life.”
Singles on Ontario Works Study
This comprehensive project examined singles receiving Ontario Works (OW) social assistance in Toronto. Despite representing nearly two-thirds of Toronto’s OW caseload, singles were often overlooked in policy and research.
Toronto Employment and Social Services (TESS) partnered with OCWI to develop greater insights into the characteristics and experiences of singles on OW. The study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to better understand:
- The characteristics of singles on the OW caseload in Toronto
- Changes in the singles caseload over time
- Factors that predict exits to employment
- Service experiences and needs of singles
The research revealed important trends:
- Between 1999 and 2016, the proportion of singles on Toronto’s OW caseload increased from 38% to over 60%
- 38% of singles were aged 45 and over, contradicting the stereotype that most were young males
- 30% had completed post-secondary training
- 35% identified as struggling with physical and mental health issues
Dean Herd, one of the study’s authors, noted: “The findings provide support for approaches that recognize that for those individuals facing multiple and complex challenges, progress might involve many small steps over time and supports for multiple facets of life, such as housing, health and education and training.”
A companion study, “Exits to Employment,” examined which factors helped or hindered singles in moving from assistance to work. It found that poor mental and physical health, lack of motivation, and systemic barriers like criminal record suspensions had measurable effects on employment outcomes.
Why OCWI’s Work Still Matters Today
Although OCWI officially closed in 2019, its legacy continues through the research, tools, and frameworks it developed. The center’s work remains relevant to current workforce challenges, including:
- Increasing mental health barriers to employment
- Growing need for digital skills and adaptability
- Persistent challenges for marginalized groups
- Changing workplace expectations and structures
Employment service providers continue to use OCWI’s research to inform program design and delivery, while researchers build on its findings to develop new approaches to workforce development.
By the Numbers: Key Stats from OCWI’s Work
- From 38% (1999) to 60% (2016), representing a significant shift in social assistance demographics.
- 93% of In Motion & Momentum participants reported better mental health or increased motivation after program completion.
- 31% of program participants found jobs within 3 months of completion.
- 69,000 individual cases examined to understand patterns and needs.
- 30% of singles on OW had completed post-secondary training, challenging stereotypes about education levels.
- 60% of program participants reported improved self-esteem following intervention programs.
- 88% of program participants accessed at least one social service post-program, showing continued engagement with support systems.
- Only 29% of Humanities graduates reported their full-time work was related to their field of study after six months.
- 69% of Early Childhood Assistants were identified by employers as good candidates for upgrading to ECE certification.
- The average time singles spent on OW increased from 21 months (1999) to 34 months (2016), indicating greater difficulty exiting the system.
Where to Find OCWI Resources Today
OCWI’s research and resources remain available through:
- Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) archives
- Partner organizations’ websites
- Ontario workforce development networks
- Employment Ontario service provider resources
These materials continue to inform practice among workforce professionals, government staff, and researchers interested in evidence-based approaches to employment services. For those working in employment services, OCWI’s legacy offers valuable insights into effective approaches for supporting diverse job seekers, engaging employers, and developing innovative programming to address workforce challenges.