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This is not a newsletterMillier Dickinson Blais
A digital toolkit for Ec Dev 2.0 | Number 61 | Circ 7,719 | Like | Tweet

These are not articles

Is your community age-friendly?

Older couple in a park

It is widely recognized that the structure of the Canadian population is undergoing a significant shift. As life expectancies in developed economies rise, fertility rates drop, and the baby boom age cohort of the post-war period begins to enter retirement, the population as a whole is aging at a considerable pace. Statistics Canada estimates that Canada’s senior population – defined as those over the age of 65 – is projected to account for between 23% and 25% of the population by 2036, almost twice the 13.9% they represented in 2009.

The costs and benefits associated with an aging population are being felt across all levels of government, as new demands are being placed on service delivery and program funding, resulting in further impacts on the fiscal position of municipalities, regions and other levels of government. In addition, business retention and succession planning has also begun to impact rural and remote communities across the country, a significant issue considering almost 350,000 business owners will be over the age of 55 by the end of the decade. Despite the inevitability of this shift, many jurisdictions still have a limited level of understanding or preparedness for addressing the coming challenges and opportunities associated with an aging population.

Recognizing the implications of this demographic shift, the Province of Ontario developed a Finding the Right Fit: Age-Friendly Community Planning guide that provides step by step processes and tools to help municipalities and communities develop, implement and evaluate their aging plans. In 2014 the Province launched the Age-Friendly Community Planning Grant, which is intended to further support innovative local planning initiatives. This effort builds on the work of the World Health Organization and the Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities Initiative (AFRRCI) that was endorsed by Canada’s Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors in 2009 and intended to identify common barriers and foster community dialogue and action on this issue. Take a look at these helpful resources to find out more about ensuring your community is age-friendly.

Are you ready for the Metropolitan Century?

Canary Wharf skyline at dusk

As urbanization speeds up and cities become more important as economic engines, it is necessary for economic developers to understand what this shift means for local, regional and national economies. A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), The Metropolitan Century: Understanding Urbanisation and its Consequences, explores this issue in the context of OECD member nations.

Perhaps of most interest to economic, workforce or community development stakeholders are the chapters covering what makes a successful city and how cities impact citizens, countries and the environment. The report defines successful cities as being well organized, able to attract people, and able to drive high levels of economic activity. While the circumstances of cities are uniquely influenced by local and national policies, the report identifies common threads, such as a clear connection between productivity and population size. The report also takes a look at the government of cities, noting that the fragmentation of a metropolitan area into multiple municipalities can have a negative impact, particularly around land-use regulations and transport planning.

While the process of urbanization varies between countries, this report does offer some useful analysis and insight for economic developers and others seeking to understand the opportunities and challenges created by urbanization. Given that the report states the impact of cities on the economic performance of surrounding regions can be measured at a distance of 200-300km, The Metropolitan Century has value for economic developers outside of large cities as well. You can read the report online here or pick up a copy from the OECD bookshop.  For a quick look at some of the report’s findings, Aaron M. Renn at Urbanophile provides some interesting highlights from The Metropolitan Century.

Is education the key to closing the skills gap and sparking economic development?

Children in a classroom

According to a recent ETS report, American students ranked last when it came to numeracy and are below average when comes to literacy compared to students in other wealthy nations. The report, which looks at recently collected data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), also concluded that more than half of U.S. millennials lack proficiency when it comes to applying reading and arithmetic skills in the workplace. The ETS authors propose that the lack of proficiency directly relates to the skills gap. Although there are more things that affect the gap than traditional education

What makes the ETS even more concerning is a recent report from the Washington Center for Equitable Growth on the widening achievement gap between the rich and poor. Based on OECD data, the report explores the impact this gap has on the economy. The economic impact of these educational results are put into perspective when evaluated compared to their potential gains. Out of the thirty-three countries that are part of OECD, the United States ranked 24th when it comes to math and science scores. By raising the American ranking from 24th to 19th, the OECD average, the report estimates that the result would be an additional $900 billion in government revenue through adding 1.7% to the GDP over the next 35 years. Raise the ranking up to Canada’s ranking of 7th, and the GDP rises by 6.7%, adding $10 trillion to government revenues by the year 2050. Meaning that closing the educational gap will not only help solve the skills gap identified in the ETS report, but provide a boost to the American economy.

Employment Development Index February 2015


Our Employment Development Index is a visual representation of changes in regional employment figures over time. Visit the Employment Development Index archives for previous editions.

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