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The changing nature of work in Canada: 1987 to 2024

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  • Marc Frenette

Abstract

Technology is constantly evolving, and this can change the tasks that human employees perform in the workplace. For much of history, technological advances have remained within the realm of routine, manual tasks. Accordingly, workers performing these tasks have been the ones facing the risk of job transformation or perhaps even job displacement. For example, Frank et al. (2021) found that from 1987 to 2018, the share of Canadian workers employed in jobs associated with routine, manual tasks declined gradually, while the share employed in jobs associated with non-routine, cognitive tasks increased gradually. Frenette (2023) demonstrated that these trends accelerated somewhat over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic (2019 to 2022), possibly because firms may have increased their reliance on automation technology to make the production and delivery of their goods and services more resilient to potential future shutdowns.

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  • Marc Frenette, 2025. "The changing nature of work in Canada: 1987 to 2024," Economic and Social Reports 202500200004e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies and Modelling Branch.
    • Handle: RePEc:stc:stcp8e:202500200004e
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/36280001202500200004-eng
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The Skill Content of Recent Technological Change: An Empirical Exploration," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(4), pages 1279-1333.
    2. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The skill content of recent technological change: an empirical exploration," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue nov.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics

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