October 1, 2018 - Regina, Saskatchewan - Session 1

Date: October 1, 2018
Location: Regina, Saskatchewan

Total participants

Key themes or ideas

1. We need to focus on a small number of transformative change projects
2. Educational choice – Creating streams for our system to allow better diversity of career choices including entrepreneurship
3. Climate change – need to be able to discuss
4. We need to know our assets
5. Broadband – high speed internet
6. Better utilization of immigrant and indigenous populations skills

Q1) What does a stronger western Canadian economy look like 10 years from now?

• Inclusiveness in the economy and community. This is not just about the employment gap but employability. How do we plan communities?  How do we harness the indigenous community and keep young people here in the city/province?
• Environmental sustainability – Economic diversity starts with the use of traditional sectors of strength, with manufacturing, oil and gas in Regina. Where will we be in 2050 with agri-value processing and technology?
• Creating a community vision of inclusiveness, getting young people involved and inviting different people to join in the discussion.
• The new economy must look upon indigenous people as valuable resources.  German school system was used as an example to have streams to allow for trades versus scientists (STEM).  We need to ask the question earlier on career choice and incorporate a mechanism that allows for great diversity of choice.
• We need a community-changing project with wide applicability; water infrastructure was used as an example.
• We can do research which brings about incremental changes but if we want to really do something we need funds to make a transformative change.
• The education system is important to position and create the ability to move people forward.
• It takes commitment to the idea that you know where you are going. Climate change, will it change the crops we grow, most likely not. Things will change at an undetermined pace and an undetermined degree. We need to be careful of affecting competitiveness especially in an export market.

Q2) What are the best ways to spur new growth in western Canada

• We need to understand our assets and our gaps.
• We have strengths in farm equipment, what is the interplay between technologies?  There is a transformative opportunity on the data side for our core industries.  We need to dive in and not just play around the edges to have the transformative change.
• The growth in manufacturing could help drive agri-value. For our manufacturing industries in the province, we need to source outside for machines (ovens, rosters for example). Training at institutions such as Saskatchewan Polytechnic for programming of equipment.
• Entrepreneurship needs to be started earlier i.e. programs in elementary school.
• Entrepreneur’s need to think of themselves as employers.
• Regina is just starting a robotics program but this has been around for years.  We need to utilise this technology to solve problems.

Q3) What will help the Indigenous economy continue to grow?

• Transformative projects in education and infrastructure.  If we create enough momentum these projects will continue past the typical 4-year cycle.
• We continue to under fund education and infrastructure. There is no economy without a healthy environment, school, water and infrastructure.
• Community growth is a challenge with economic development. How do they keep their community and develop?
• Indigenous people can provide an untapped pool of labour.
• Each Indigenous community is different; there are still basic barriers to employment such as not having a bank account. Skills training needs to be adjusted to reflect this.

Q4) How can we improve economic participation in the west of underrepresented groups, including women, youth, and new immigrants

• New immigrants may not have certification to allow them do certain jobs which is a challenge. The focus is too much on certification versus education and experience in trades.  There are different ways and skills people bring to the table.
• Immigrant pool is over qualified for what we allow them to do.
• Do we need to start in the education system? For immigrants it can take 18 months to get in to English classes.
• Can we recognize the skills that immigrants bring to the table through equivalencies, or supports where we can allow them to work toward equivalencies?
• Canadian Experience requirements get in the way and is a form of job protection.  This creates a challenge to the viability of small towns or even finding workers.
• We need to be careful that we do not second-class underrepresented groups. We need to make sure everyone has access to opportunities.
• Many employees get online training. Is there enough available?

Q5) How can governments, industry, and western Canadians work together to grow the regional economy?

• Do we try to meet every challenge or look at Western Canada and put a few themes that are transformative in place?  These will be capital intensive i) internet in rural – currently high speed internet in rural SK is at 50%  ii) transformative water infrastructure iii)  inclusiveness
• Innovation costs money and restricting innovation and growth too much today is making it harder to get to tomorrow.
• The internet is taken for granted in the city; wireless is not a great solution in rolling terrain. Hard line high speed should be everywhere and because it is not, we are leaving people behind. Broadband is important and everyone needs access. The prairies are at a disadvantage in this regard