Work
We suggest:
- Human beings were made to work.
- Government policies should incentivize work.
- Everyone should have access to work and should receive just compensation for their labour, enabling them to have access to productive leisure.
- All work has dignity.
- The state, the market, and civil society (particularly institutions like unions) should work together to encourage just and meaningful work.
Supporting Research
Start Here
Ray Pennings,
Brian Dijkema
November 19, 2014
A social bias against employment in the skilled trades exists in this country. This culminating document of the Building Meaning project includes the Building Meaning in the Skilled Trades background paper, and our final series of recommendations for industry and labour stakeholders; educational institutions; governments; and researchers.
Brian Dijkema,
Morley Gunderson
December 17, 2019
There is a large hole in our public talk about work and wages. Reviewing the latest research, "Work is About More Than Money" uncovers the personal, social and psychological costs of unemployment. It identifies the missing pieces in our thinking and policymaking about labour to show why it is urgent to attend to the non-monetary benefits of work.
Johanna Lewis,
Renze Nauta
May 17, 2023
If Toronto adopted fair and open contract bidding for its construction contracts, it would likely save hundreds of millions of dollars every year. City Hall could then use the freed up cash to address pressing problems, like safety on the TTC, mental health, and housing.
Explorations
September 10, 2021
Join Mark Carney and Fr. Raymond de Souza as they sit down for a conversation on Mark’s latest book, Value(s): Building a Better World For All.
June 22, 2021
Join us as we Exit COVID: Toward what matters most.
Media Coverage
May 25, 2023
In Toronto, an estimated $1.65 billion in construction is reserved for companies whose workers belong to a group of favoured unions. A 21 percent discount in Toronto would mean the city would have $347 million dollars more available to invest in police, mental health, and housing.
Photo by Marcin Skalij on Unsplash
May 24, 2023
"New research from Cardus shows the City of Toronto could save $347 million by opening up bidding on its public projects," reports the Daily Commercial News. "Toronto currently has collective agreements with 10 building trades that limits bids on projects to contractors affiliated with those unions, shutting out alternative unions and their contractors, such as the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA)."
Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash
May 19, 2023
Toronto's cushy deals with some construction unions mean the city is paying too much for its construction projects. If it opened up those contracts to fair and open competitive bidding, it could save an estimated $347 million dollars. That's enough to fund 400 new police officers, two new police stations, 400 mental health managers, and a doubling of the city's homelessness and shelter construction budget, write Cardus's Brian Dijkema and Renze Nauta in the Toronto Sun.
Photo by Conor Samuel on Unsplash
Work
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What else are we working toward?
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects