Precarious Living Study

This Precarious Living Study explores the intersectionality of precarious employment and other factors that contribute to precarious living in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region. Focus groups, interviews and an online survey were conducted with over 70 service providers from Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties to gain their insights from working with clients who have experienced precarious employment and are living precariously. Fifteen individuals with lived experience from Bruce and Grey counties also participated in focus groups and interviews to share their stories. The stakeholder participation identifies:

1. The kinds of precarious work the local labour force are engaged in;
2. Who the precarious workers are;
3. How precarious employment and other factors act upon each other to result in life precarity;
4. Support available for individuals who are working and living precariously and service gaps;
5. New opportunities to address work and life precarity.

This report, supplemented by the Precarious Living Series, aims at promoting a better understanding of the experiences of people in our local workforce who are working and living precariously. This knowledge will enhance the capacity of all stakeholders – labour force, service providers, and employers – to address precarious work and its social impacts.