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A large part of the Canadian labour force finds it difficult to obtain work that provides a decent income and working conditions that meet societal norms. The Work Network of the Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) has been examining the extent to which labour markets and workplaces are leaving people behind and how the Network can help more people realize their potential. The ‘vulnerable workers’ project, launched two years ago, aimed to: explore the sources of vulnerability; document the circumstances of vulnerable workers; identify policies and practices to improve the inclusion of vulnerable workers in work that provides adequate income and basic employment rights; raise the profile of issues regarding vulnerable workers and help focus the debate on how to respond to these issues; and stimulate change in public policies and in workplace practices. This report provides a synthesis of the key findings of these studies, including some other recent literature on vulnerable workers that emphasise the policy implications of this research. The report examines who the vulnerable workers are in Canada, why they are vulnerable, and what can be done to increase the opportunities available to them to improve their economic security. The report concludes that a combination of measures are required to enable workers to realise their potential, including opportunities for workers to move up by improving their labour market prospects through skills upgrading. The contents are: Executive summary; Introduction; Concepts of vulnerability in the labour market; Forces of change in the labour market; Mapping the dimensions of vulnerability in the labour market; Instruments to assist vulnerable workers; Conclusion: the need for a mix of instruments. Included as an appendix is: Summary of proposed measures.