White paper discussing Employer Engagement targeted at large employers

1. Collaborating to Engage Large Employers
PROMISING PRACTICES CASE STUDY SERIES | CASE STUDY 3
E M P LOY E R E N G AG E M E N T F O R CO M M U N I T Y B E N E F I T

2. Through funding from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU), First Work
researched and developed a series of case studies to represent the experiences of employers,
employment agencies and other organizations involved in employer engagement initiatives.
The case studies profile innovative examples of promising practices that are intended to promote
the hiring of individuals traditionally underrepresented in the workforce. The lessons learned
suggest strategies that will inform future work in this area.
Emerging from discussions at the Futures Conference,
Canada’s largest and longest running youth employment
networking event, this series highlights important
concepts in employer engagement.
Sponsored by
BACKGROUND
PROFILE OF FIRST WORK
Through supporting the work of local youth employment centres
across Ontario, First Work aims to help young people find and
maintain meaningful employment that will help improve the quality
of their lives.
Visit us at www.firstwork.org
SOCIAL HIRING & SOCIAL
HIRING ADVOCATES
Social hiring is the practice of deliberately
hiring individuals traditionally underrepresented
in the workforce. This includes low-income
individuals, people with disabilities, youth,
Aboriginals and single parents.
Social Hiring Advocates are defined as one, or
a cluster, of organizations—non-profit, private,
public or some amalgamation thereof—that are
committed to promoting social hiring.

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This case study highlights emerging and
promising practices that employment service
agencies and social hiring advocates can use
to encourage employers to incorporate social
hiring into large-scale infrastructure projects.
It examines the experience of multiple
stakeholders from one Toronto neighbourhood
that are working with the regional transport
authority (Metrolinx) to include community
benefits in their Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail
Transit (LRT) construction project.
This study explores the relationships between
three key stakeholders:
1) Metrolinx, an employer,
2) Skills for Change, an employment agency
and,
3) The Toronto Community Benefits Network
(TCBN), a social hiring advocate.
Overview

4. Metrolinx is slated to operate Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail
Transit (Crosstown LRT). It is important to note that the Crosstown
LRT is still in the early days of development, with portions of the track
expected to be completed in 2020. Community groups like employment
agencies and social hiring advocates have recognized an opportunity for
the LRT construction to create jobs and other benefits for communities
situated along the proposed line.
“This [transit] line alone will lead to an estimated 46,000
construction-related employment opportunities…” 1
TCBN is currently advocating for the Crosstown LRT project to include
a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), which is a legally enforceable,
written agreement that mandates local and regional community
involvement in an infrastructure project, from design to evaluation.
A CBA must be transparent and closely monitored. It addresses a
wide array of community concerns, including equitable and inclusive
hiring, beautification of neighbourhoods and community spaces, the
creation of union jobs and help mitigating the
repercussions of increased rents caused by the
infrastructure project.
At present, Metrolinx has committed to
working with community stakeholders to
establish general community benefits, but is
not willing to sign an exclusive, legally-binding
Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with
the TCBN. Though they are still hoping for a
CBA, the TCBN will, wherever possible, work
with Metrolinx and other community groups to
achieve both respective and shared goals.
1
University of Toronto, “Shaping Together the Future we Want”, Monica Bennington, Vicky Zhao Dong,
Matthew Kelling, Mieka Lewis
Context

5. Build Strong Relationships and
Work Collaboratively
For the Crosstown LRT to create jobs and community benefits, there must be
strong relationships between all three stakeholder groups, and the drive to
work collaboratively to achieve shared goals.
Effective relationship-building is achieved when multiple stakeholders and
individuals make a commitment to ‘come to the table’. By being present at
affiliated meetings and programs, different groups can make their voices heard
and their opinions known. Regular communication between stakeholders
ultimately leads to new ways of thinking and problem-solving, and will help to
ensure that shared goals are achieved.
Emerging Promising Practices
The following emerging and promising practices for large-scale
multi-stakeholder employer engagement were identified through
discussion with the stakeholders involved:
 Build strong relationships and work collaboratively.
 Value the contributions that diverse stakeholders bring.
 Identify mutual benefits and shared opportunities.
 Understand the limitations of stakeholders.
“It’s in everybody’s best interest to collaborate,
because only a few [employment agencies]
cannot provide all the labour. If we work
collaboratively, we can meet the requirements.”
— Skills for Change, Employment Agency
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6. The employment agency became involved when they heard a presentation
by the TCBN and decided that they wanted to do more. Such meetings
are held an average of six times a year and are open to community
groups, workforce development agencies, some social equity groups and
employment agencies. Interested groups are welcome, and encouraged,
to connect with the social hiring advocate at any time, to discuss their
interest and/or involvement in the project.
Metrolinx is working with TCBN, among others, to create a framework that
will guide the process of establishing community benefits.
“I really want to salute TCBN... they’re holding us to the fire,
being clear about what they want under this agreement, but
also very constructive.”
— Metrolinx, Employer.
Over the past year, TCBN has attended six different meetings with
Metrolinx’s senior management representatives, to discuss key issues and
opportunities, and to advocate for a strong community benefits package.
“I knew we needed to be at the table...
the more people at the table, the
better it is.”
— Skills for Change, Employment Agency

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Value the Contributions That Diverse
Stakeholders Bring
“We all have a role to play—the community, us, our partners.”
— Metrolinx, Employer
It is important for all involved to recognize that each stakeholder brings
something different to the table. Appreciating diverse perspectives and
contributions will build trust and lead to innovative practices.
As a social hiring advocate, TCBN knows firsthand that community
stakeholders each bring different questions and concerns to the table.
Part of the challenge is that community groups or individuals that want
to get involved in a community benefits package with Metrolinx may
not have enough information about industry and legislative regulations
to make reasonable demands. As a result, the employer can be put in
an uncomfortable position, expected to respond to a multitude of
community needs and expectations from those who are not particularly
knowledgeable about the industry process.
“At some level, working with community can be scary. The
people are not professionals; they can ask embarrassing or
difficult questions. Public input can get a little messy...”
— TCBN, Social Hiring Advocate
Employment agencies and social hiring
advocates can play a role in supporting the
employer to effectively engage with community
members. They can do so by working with
community stakeholders to identify and better
understand opportunities and limitations
within the industry process.

8. Identify Mutual Benefits and Shared
Opportunities
“...we are doing [the employer] a favour by making sure there are trained
people that have been assessed and are job-ready...the employer needs
first year apprentices anyway...we just want to change who gets those
positions. To allocate them to newcomers, to diverse and at-risk-youth
communities.”
— TCBN, Social Hiring Advocate
When stakeholders work together to identify mutual benefits and shared
opportunities, everyone is more willing to invest in the development
process. Stakeholders involved in the Crosstown LRT have identified
that everyone involved will gain from employment opportunities that
bring economic benefits to the communities situated along the transit
line. All agree that introducing youth to jobs in the trades and opening
up opportunities for internationally-trained professionals are important
initiatives for building a strong future workforce.
An example of this is the Pipeline Project, a pre-apprenticeship and
apprenticeship program that targets youth and their guardians and
encourages them to enter the trades. The project’s objectives include
helping youth to build skills, to get engaged in their community and to
eventually become employable as apprentices.
“It’s in our interest and the province’s
interest to train and prepare people in
these specialized trades. And if we can
do that in a way that trains populations
that have traditionally been (under)
employed, even better!”
— Metrolinx, Employer
The Pipeline Project represents a shared
opportunity for the social hiring advocate to
helpcommunitiessituatedalongthetransitline:
If successful, consortiums competing to win
Metrolinx’s construction bidding process will
communicate how many first-year apprentices
they will need to hire and the TCBN will ensure
that a pool of trained, ready-to-work youth
apprentices from the local community are
available for hire once the winning consortium
is ready to begin construction.

9. “We [Metrolinx] haven’t made the Crosstown RFPs public, because that’s
how the procurement process works. We’ve shared sections with them
(the social hiring advocate). We aren’t able to put whole thing out yet.
[We’re] not supposed to put them out now in midst of the bidding process.”
Understand the Limitations of Stakeholders
In the process of working collaboratively, there are real barriers and
limitations that have made it challenging for stakeholders engaged in
the Crosstown LRT to realize mutual benefits and shared goals. Each
partner needs to educate themselves about these challenges, so that
they can effectively work together to overcome them. TCBN is working
constructively with Metrolinx to understand the limitations, and to offer
innovative and practical solutions. Effective strategies include:
 Meeting regularly with Senior Management to discuss key issues
and opportunities,
 Supporting Metrolinx to effectively engage with community
partners, and
 Preparing to refer a pool of trained, ready-to-work apprentices from
the local consortium to the winning consortium.
An example of the challenges that stakeholders have had to navigate
is legislative requirements. These requirements mandate that the
procurement process for contractors, legally guided under “Infrastructure
Ontario,” must follow strict confidentiality laws. Under this framework,
potential contractors (bidding consortiums) are not permitted contact
with each other, with politicians or the press, or to communicate with the
social hiring advocate.
While the bidding consortiums must outline
what apprenticeship opportunities they will
make available, this information will not be
accessible to the social hiring advocate until
the bidding’s financial close. Understanding
this limitation helps the social hiring advocate
to work within these constraints, and to plan
a realistic timeline. For example, they know
that they must prepare their management plan
to coincide with the financial closing of the
bidding process.
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10. Stakeholders understand that the Crosstown LRT offers opportunities for
learning that can be replicated by future projects of a similar scope. This
case highlights potential system changes that can bring about greater
transparency and public awareness around community benefit clauses.
Working together to effectively overcome challenges will better facilitate
positive change, and the realization of mutual benefits and shared
opportunities.
“[We’re] trying to create a social hiring system… We hope this
will become a way that shapes how contractors work with
communities. The Crosstown LRT is only one part of transit
expansion. There’s more happening.”
— TCBN, Social Hiring Advocate
This multi-stakeholder employer engagement initiative is still in its early
stages, but the emerging promising practices provide useful insights for
employment agencies interested in getting involved in similar large-scale
infrastructure projects.
By building strong relationships, working collaboratively, valuing the
contributions that diverse stakeholders bring, identifying mutual benefits
and shared opportunities and understanding limitations, stakeholders can
create a strong foundation upon which a successful model can be built and
replicated. 
Conclusion:
Working Through Challenges Together
This publication is one in a series of case studies addressing issues surrounding employer
engagement for community benefit. Please visit www.firstwork.org for more information
about the series and our organization.

11. Contributing Stakeholders
 Metrolinx (Employer)
“[Our] vision is working together to transform the way the region moves”
Metrolinx, a crown agency previously known as the Greater Toronto
Transportation Authority, was created in 2006 by the Government of
Ontario. It is responsible for the management of public transportation
and road transport in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas.
 Toronto Community Benefits Network (Social Hiring Advocate)
“We envision Toronto as an inclusive, thriving city in which all residents
have equitable opportunities to contribute to building healthy communities
and a prospering economy.”
The Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) was formed
after the closure in 2005 of the Kodak plant in Toronto’s Mount
Dennis neighbourhood which caused hundreds of job losses. It acts
as an advocate and a negotiating body for new jobs and economic
opportunities in the neighbourhoods situated along the proposed
Crosstown LRT line. It is comprised of five working groups and
a steering committee whose 10 members include four labour
organizations, four community organizations from across the city,
and one social enterprise organization.
 Skills for Change (Employment Agency)
“We envision a Canada where every immigrant succeeds.”
Skills for Change was founded in 1983, and mainly serves foreign-
trained professionals. It provides opportunities for immigrants and
foreign-trained professionals to enter or re-enter the labour market by
assisting them with language assessment and instruction, settlement
services, referrals, training and mentoring. Skills for Change offers an
array of programs that are constantly adapting to meet the needs of
those arriving from different parts of the world.
Skills for Change has joined the TCBN in working with Metrolinx
to leverage opportunities for those who possess strong skills and
qualifications, but still face barriers to employment.
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12. FIR ST WO RK
Th e O n tar io Associa t ion of
Yo u th Em ployment Cent re s
CO MMU N ITY INSIGHTS ADVANCING YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
Suite 350 – 215 Spadina Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 2C7
(416) 323-9557
info@firstwork.org
www.firstwork.org