A hot topic at a conference today in Montreal was the projected shortage of skilled workers in the information technology sector. Representatives from some of Canada’s largest technology firms said they are concerned a labour shortage will impact their ability to sustain growth. “Integrating immigrants into our workforce is very important to maintain the quality and the quantity of our workforce,” said Renaud Caron, vice president of Montreal-based IT company CGI, at the conference this morning.

The 2010 International Economic Forum of the Americas conference is themed "Innovating to Succeed in a New Global Market" and is taking place in Montreal this week. The conference brings together world leaders, policymakers, the private sector and international organizations to discuss major current economic issues.

The high tech sector is going to deal with a larger labour shortage than other industries because many Canadians chose not to pursue careers in the high tech sector after the first boom ended in the early 2000s. Add this to the impending retirement of close to one million Canadians in the next few years, and it is easy to see how important it is for the technology sector to attract talent from overseas.

Quebec Immigration Minister Yolande James, said today at the conference that immigration is the best strategy to meet this projected shortage of skilled workers. James said companies can do more to attract immigrants and help them integrate into their new workplaces and lives in Canada. To accomplish this, James said the government and organizations like Montreal International are available and willing to help.

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