November 1, 2018 - Regina, Saskatchewan

Date: November 1, 2018
Location: Regina, Saskatchewan

Key themes or ideas

1. More training for the digital transformation
2. Education that actually prepares people for the future job market
3. More federal/provincial collaboration
4. Need for quicker technology adoption and an overall embracing of technology
5. More family friendly workplaces with more support for women to continue working while raising a family

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

• Easier and more interprovincial trade.
• More economic diversification and less resource dependency.
• More training to prepare for the digital transformation, and quicker technology adoption.
• Education that is adapted to where it actually prepares people for the future job market.
• An agriculture sector that is taking advantage of the opportunities that will arise from global population growth.
• There should be incentives for interprovincial and intercity collaboration.
• There should be equal distribution of support for all four western provinces with an emphasis on growing the economies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in particular.
• There needs to be more of an emphasis on commercializing research.  There is a lot of good research being conducted, but not enough of that research is being commercialized.
• There should be northern food security and everyone should have access to water.
• Inclusivity – There should be more diversity amongst people in leadership positions. Educating employers about inclusivity in the hiring process and educating employees about what working in a more inclusive workforce will be like.

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

• Self contained supply chains.
• More market access through interprovincial and international trade agreements, and through infrastructure like roads and pipelines. We need to be able to get our goods to market.
• More financial incentives like grants and tax credits.
• More access to capital.
• More support for business incubators and accelerators.
• There should be bilateral federal/provincial funding agreements in support of economic development.
• Education – more supports for bridge to work programs and free work experience programs.
• Youth involvement in policy development and the political process.
• Plain language policy and convenient sources of information about the reasoning behind policies.
• Incentivise immigration based on an improved quality of life.
• Incentivize immigration based on business relocation or start-up.

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

• Identifying and addressing the cyclical nature of poverty.
• More federal/provincial collaboration in working to resolve issues.
• Increased services and increased access to services. Increased access to business development services for rural/remote communities.
• Reduce barriers to on reserve business development.
• Increased education amongst policy makers about cultural sensitivities.
• Education about history of Indigenous peoples including mandatory residential schools education in curriculums.
• A tailored approach to policy making as apposed to the current one size fits all approach.
• More effort should be placed on relationship building through meaningful engagement practices. Meaningful engagement means more than just meeting with Chiefs.
• On reserve education needs to be better.
• More youth mentorship programs.

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

• We need to educate people more about the challenges that immigrants face. Most people are more than one generation removed from immigration and we know longer realize the challenges that immigrants are faced with when they arrive here.
• The immigration process should be more transparent, highlighting the reasoning for immigration, and the contribution that immigrants make to Canada once they arrive.
• Credential transferring programs and more support to transfer to better roles that fit skill sets.
• Youth – there should be more bridging programs to assist in the transfer to work and entrepreneurial activities.
• More funding for youth hiring initiatives.
• Mandatory job training for youth.
• More education should focus on explaining what the job market will look like in the future, how to plan for that future, and curriculums should emphasize the skills that will be required.
• There should be more transparency about gender wage/salary inequality. The disparity that exits for different types of jobs.
• There should be more HR program support for women in workplaces. Re-entry supports for women to return to work and continue to work as they raise a family.

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

• Increased communication between industry, economic stakeholders, and government.
• More private sector investment, not just government investment.
• A more vocal private sector.
• Increased data sharing between the private sector and the public sector.
• There needs to be more committee discussions between industry, government, and the citizens influencing decisions.
• There needs to be more incentives for industry to fund initiatives that solve problems.