There has been seemingly endless discussion about Newfoundland and Labrador’s aging and dwindling population, and the potentially negative impacts that it will have on the labour force and the economy as a whole. However, this aging population also presents an opportunity for employers in the province. “It’s a really interesting situation that we find ourselves in,” says Dr. Suzanne Brake, the province’s first government-appointed Senior’s Advocate….
ECONOMY: Sweet Opportunity in Trinity
The Bonavista Peninsula has long been a prime tourist destination in the province. With anchor businesses and organizations, like the Trinity Historical Society and Rising Tide Theatre, as well as newer initiatives, such as Bonavista Living and Bonavista Creative, the area is leading the way when it comes to capitalizing on creative and cultural economic opportunities becoming a hotspot for innovative entrepreneurs. Moving beyond craft…
ENVIRO: Positioning NL for Climate Change
Jonas Roberts, PhD, PEng, Wood Environmental & Infrastructure Solutions While climate models show that Newfoundland and Labrador isn’t likely to face a future of devastating droughts and heatwaves, it doesn’t mean climate change won’t impact us. Rising sea levels and extreme precipitation can have a drastic effect if we fail to adequately adapt our infrastructure. Moreover, NL is inextricably connected to…
FOOD: How to Feed a Province
Dr. Ivan Emke Retired Professor, Memorial University Imagine a province where just about everyone has a garden, many have chickens (and maybe a cow), there are more sheep than people, and we ship in only a small proportion of what we eat. Welcome to Newfoundland and Labrador’s past. We’ve been there. But then our diets, and expectations around food, changed. Once…
WORK: Skills for NL’s Future
Dr. Lynn Gambin, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, (Economics), Memorial University Like many other economies, there are a number of drivers of change in the labour market that will present challenges for NL over the next 10-20 years: an aging population, the global move towards green and sustainable energy, and fast-paced technological change. While such challenges may…
WORK: Automation in the Fishing Industry
For many, the word ‘automation’ is synonymous with ‘loss of jobs.’ But for Gilbert Linstead, General Manager of the Labrador Fishermen’s Union Shrimp Company (LFUSC), automation is the key to preserving Newfoundland and Labrador’s rural labour force, which he says is threatened by outmigration. “We’ve been lucky so far to keep some younger people, but we see it,” says Linstead. “The young people…
ECONOMY: Taxes and Fairness
Dr. Tom Cooper Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University It’s a common past-time in NL to complain about taxes. Who pays too much, who pays too little, do we pay more taxes now than we used to, do we pay more than people living in Alberta or Nova Scotia? The debate is endless, and complex. Tax revenue pays for…
ENVIRO: Towns Taking Action Against Climate Change
Thanks to funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), six communities across the province are making plans to address and ultimately reduce their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. After this training was completed, the newly-appointed Climate Change Ambassadors— consisting of Town Managers, Chief Administrative Officers, and employees from Public Works departments—attended a three-day workshop in…
ENVIRO: Municipal Wastewater Woes
Towns across the province are facing pressure to comply with the new Federal Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER), which came into effect in 2012. Under this system, towns need to register and monitor wastewater. This means many towns will need expensive system upgrades, and for municipalities with no sewage treatment at all, it poses an even greater challenge. Marystown recently piloted two innovative systems…
FOOD: Bridging the Divide with Farming
Connecting with the land, tilling and tending it, is a fundamental human experience, one that transcends borders. In order to harness the potential of this shared practice, the Association for New Canadians (ANC) has started their “Bridge the Divide” program, which pairs job-seeking refugees with local farm employers. The seed for “Bridge the Divide” was sown when Sarah Thompson, project manager…
Vital Signs NL 