Presentation by:

Elizabeth Beale, President & CEO, Atlantic Provinces Economic CouncilHalifax, Nova Scotia November 8, 2005

Presentation to: 2005 National LMI Forum

Current and Emerging Labour Force Challenges in Atlantic Canada

1. Economic Transformation in Atlantic Canada

Presentation Outline

2. Spatial and Demographic Dimensions

3. Labour Force Trends

4. Key Challenges

Economic Transformation in Atlantic Canada

• A decade of big changes

• Major projects drive overall growth

• Decline in traditional resource industries

• Diversification but growth favours low end of manufacturing and services

• Relative to national performance, labour productivity in Maritimes gently declines, shoots up in Newfoundland and Labrador

• Prospects?

Spatial and Demographic Dimensions

• Large rural population on decline

• Urban areas strengthen but can this combat overall decline?

• Out-migration trends led by those in 20-34 age bracket

• An aging population – the Atlantic provinces face the challenge faster than elsewhere in Canada

Labour Force Trends

• Overall decline in seasonal employment

• More robust urban labour markets

• Aging labour force and difficulty in recruiting skilled workers dominant issues for Atlantic industry

• Increases in formal educational attainment levels move in line with Canadian trends

• But weaker commitment to on-the-job training

Labour Force Challenges for Atlantic Canada

• Immigration

• Maintaining /developing human capital in a slow/no growth environment

– Where to place priorities?

• Strategies to improve flexibility in an older, more mobile labour force

– Commitment to improve literacy

• National programs must be sensitive to regional requirements