I wasn’t familiar with Develop Nova Scotia until recently and I still only know what I see on the website. Its mandate is “To lead sustainable development of high potential property and infrastructure to drive inclusive economic growth in Nova…
Continue ReadingAre waves of people leaving New Brunswick for greener pastures?
A lot of people ask me if we are losing even more young people to outward migration now than in the past or has the reduction in the unemployment rate led to more staying here? I also hear that “immigrants…
Continue ReadingDon’t fear New Brunswick’s version of the Travelling Wilburys
I had to chuckle. I got several emails from folks concerned about the new company set up by Shawn Graham, Norm Betts, Donald Arsenault and Andrew Dawson that will work to attract companies to set up in New Brunswick. Dawson…
Continue ReadingLiving in Subterfugia: The land of the euphemism
I’m not going to go as far as to describe our times as Orwellian but they do seem to have an Alice in Wonderland-like quality. The Premier of Alberta tweeted out the link to a video that was an unabashed…
Continue ReadingWhat can Kamloops teach us about immigration?
New Brunswick’s demographic challenge is pretty easy to define. The population aged 13-22 is a good proxy of the local talent pipeline for the workforce over the subsequent 10 years. Some will join the workforce right out of high school,…
Continue ReadingThe myth of ‘focus’: Economic development’s Big Turk opportunity
One of the most oft repeated mantras in economic development is the need to focus. “We can’t be all things to all people”. “We have limited resources so we need to focus our efforts”. I had a conversation with a…
Continue ReadingThe best places to live in Canada, hmm
I know this is going to sound like sour grapes, but so be it. MacLean’s magazine is out with its list of the 2019 best communities to live in Canada. Almost all the best places to live are in southern…
Continue ReadingAre efforts to attract international students facing the “why would anyone want to…. …. in New Brunswick?” challenge?
A few months ago I had the opportunity to interview the general managers of multiple national and multinational firms with operations in New Brunswick. Many of them told me they would be very happy to hire immigrants to grow their…
Continue ReadingThe most important, overlooked role for an economic development agency
I have been studying economic development agencies and their effectiveness for well over a decade and I can tell you there is one very important role that is mostly ignored or at least glossed over. Unless the economy is booming,…
Continue ReadingWhen it comes to economic and demographic data, speak clearly
Economic and demographic data is hard enough for most of us to understand. When we add in hard to understand or misleading comparisons it can completely lead people to misunderstand the point that is being made. One of my biggest…
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