Ottawa, September 12, 2022—Canadian retailers are increasingly hiring for digital-savvy jobs such as UX/UI designers, data analysts, software developers, and digital marketers as intelligent retail continues to accelerate post-COVID.
In 2021, retail comprised 5.2% of the Canadian economy, making it one of the 10 largest sectors. Digitization in retail has been ongoing for a decade, but the pandemic exponentially accelerated this trend. Digital roles in retail are seen as critical, whereas more traditional brick-and-mortar roles face constrained opportunities. Canadian retail is at a crossroads where traditional workers may require retraining to be reabsorbed into the evolving labour market.
A new report by ICTC, Striving to Be Smarter: The Evolution of Intelligent Retail in Canada, explores the latest trends in Canadian intelligent retail, how retailers are adopting digital technologies, and the changing workforce requirements for intelligent retail following the disruption of COVID-19.
“The retail value chain is evolving rapidly amidst technology disruptions, the rise of the anywhere consumer, supply chain pressures, as well as the need to meet environmental and sustainability goals. This report highlights the rapid trends in this industry and how best to keep pace in an arena that is increasingly data and intelligence driven.” – Namir Anani, ICTC President and CEO.
The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for strengthening Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and creative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries enabled by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with an expansive network of industry leaders, academic partners, and policy makers from across Canada, ICTC has empowered a robust and inclusive digital economy for over 30 years.
To arrange an interview on this study or for other media inquiries, please contact Paul Stastny by replying to this email.
This study is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program.
A copy of the study can be accessed here.
A French language press release of this report is here.
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To cite this report:
Herron, C., and Toor, M., Striving to Be Smarter: The Evolution of Intelligent Retail in Canada. Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), August 2022. Ottawa, Canada.
