About The Workforce Planning Board

The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin (WPB) leads local workforce development by identifying local labour market needs/trends/priorities and working with the community to develop action plans to address these issues.

In operation since 1997, acts as a facilitator of local labour market planning. The labour market planning process includes research on current labour market conditions, community and industry consultations, review and discussion of research findings, establishing priorities for labour market development and engaging partners in initiating action plans that respond to priorities of mutual interest. We are your local labour market experts. 

Who Do We Serve?

WPB is one of 26 local boards across the province of Ontario, made up of representatives from business, labour, educators, trainers, and community representatives/equity groups. WPB serves as a neutral broker of research, disseminator of information, and facilitator of collaborative partnership development.

WPB is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to conduct and distribute local labour market research and engage community stakeholders in the planning process.

WPB covers Waterloo Region, Wellington County and Dufferin County consisting of the communities of Cambridge, Waterloo, Kitchener, Guelph, Centre Wellington, North Wellington, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Woolwich, Wilmot, Minto, Mapleton, Erin, Guelph/Eramosa, Puslinch, Orangeville, Mono, Melancthon, East Luther, Amaranth and Mulmur and Shelburne.

Our Mission

To engage partners to find solutions to local workforce development needs.

Why Work With Us?

In 2017, WPB celebrated 20 years of service to our communities and during that time we have partnered with over 150 businesses and organizations to address local workforce development opportunities and challenges. We are a neutral, community-based source of labour market information.

Meet Our Staff

Charlene Hofbauer Executive Director	Jeremy Cook Communications and Events Manager	Sohrab Rahmaty Manager of Employer Relations and Research
Email Charlene	Email Jeremy	Email Sohrab

Workforce Development Committees

Workforce Development Committees have currently been established for the City of Guelph, Dufferin County and Wellington County.   These committees are partnerships between the Workforce Planning Board and each of the municipalities and were established to provide a conduit for information sharing with key stakeholders involved in workforce development. The make up of each committee is unique and representative of its community. 

Guelph's Workforce Development Committee: 

Mission:  To align the supply and demand to meet the current and future needs of Guelph’s labour market.  

Mandate: To bring together evidenced-based information and data to build a collaborative workforce planning process that influences all decision makers, builds the capacity for future growth and sustainability in Guelph and encourages a healthy community.

Dufferin's Workforce Development Committee:

Mission:  To improve the local labour market through enhanced collection and distribution of labour market information and community engagement.

Mandate: To create a more formalized network for information gathering and sharing related to workforce challenges and opportunities in Dufferin County. 

Wellington's Workforce Development Committee:

Mission:  To improve the livelihood of our community by ensuring we have the right people for the right jobs.

Mandate: To create a more formalized network for information gathering and sharing related to workforce challenges and opportunities in Wellington County and to raise the profile of the importance of the local workforce in Wellington based on a common evidenced-based understanding.