The Community Benefits Framework – Understanding the Need report provides a data‑driven foundation to guide Hamilton’s development of a Community Benefits Framework (CBF). Using 2021 Census data and other validated sources, this report identifies population groups and labour‑market conditions that point to who faces inequitable access to economic opportunities and who stands to benefit most from a community benefits approach.

Purpose

Phase One of the CBF focuses on building a shared understanding of priority communities, the barriers they face, and the opportunities that can be mobilized through development projects, workforce strategies, and community wealth‑building initiatives.

Key Insights

Demographic Trends

• Hamilton’s population reached 569,353 in 2021, growing 6% since 2016.
• Racialized residents make up 25% of the population, with the number tripling over two decades. This is driven by rapidly growing South Asian, Black, and Arab communities.
• Youth (12%) and seniors (18%) represent significant segments with differing labour‑market needs.

Immigration & Language

• Immigrants represent 25.9% of Hamilton’s population; 20,145 are recent immigrants (2016–2021).
• India, Syria, and the Philippines are the top recent source countries.
• Over 10,000 residents have no knowledge of English or French; Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Punjabi are the most common mother tongues among them.

Labour Market Overview

• Hamilton’s participation rate (61.9%) and employment rate (54.3%) trail provincial and national rates, while its unemployment rate (12.3%) is higher than Canada’s 10.3%.
• Youth unemployment is particularly high at 24.1%, and seniors also experienced elevated rates during the pandemic.
• Precarious work is widespread:
  • 22% of workers are part‑time.
  • 37% of youth hold temporary positions.
  • Sectors such as accommodation & food services and retail rely heavily on part‑time employees.

Social & Economic Indicators

• One‑parent families represent 19.2% of all families, with 80% led by women – higher than provincial and national averages.
• Nearly 205,000 residents aged 15+ report activity limitations (44%), a rate higher than both Ontario and Canada. Mental‑health‑related limitations are the most common.
• Income assistance use remains substantial: almost 14,000 Ontario Works and 22,000 ODSP cases in the Hamilton CMA, with OW cases rising above pre‑pandemic levels.

Economic & Business Landscape

• Hamilton’s largest industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing.
• Small businesses dominate the employer landscape: 58% of firms with employees have 1–4 workers, and most local businesses fall within small‑to‑medium size ranges.

Groups Facing the Greatest Barriers

The report identifies several communities that disproportionately experience unemployment, underemployment, and job precarity:

• Racialized residents
• Recent immigrants
• Women‑led single‑parent families
• Residents with disabilities
• Youth (15–24)

These groups are therefore key priority populations for workforce, training, and hiring commitments within a CBF.

Implications for a Community Benefits Framework

To achieve equitable economic outcomes, Hamilton’s CBF should:

• Establish clear, enforceable workforce targets tied to development projects.
• Ensure strong recruitment, training, and wrap‑around supports for priority groups.
• Build partnerships between educational institutions, labour unions, employers, and community organizations.

Such strategies can create equitable pathways into stable employment and advance community wealth‑building.