By Michelle Madden

Canada, as we know it today, was built on natural resources. From the early days of fish and beavers to today’s oil and gems, natural resources have been and continue to be importance sources of GDP for this nation. The problem with natural resource extraction is that the markets for these products can be fickle, subjecting the peripheral communities that produce them to boom-and-bust cycles. When demand disappears, some communities disappear along with it; others fight back and do what they can to shift their local economies in new directions.

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By Sarah Stenabaugh

Life is dependent on water – and so is our economy. Every sector of the industry needs water. The agricultural sector needs water to grow produce. The energy sector needs water for cooling purposes. Manufacturing needs it for processing. Every single thing, product, and service needs water.

That’s why the idea of any long-term water shortage is terrifying, but that’s exactly what’s happening in certain parts of the world. According to a recent report from the World Bank, the growing scarcity of freshwater could shrink many economies around the globe by mid-century, particularly in China and India.

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By Angela Thibert

Instead of being glued to your phone, you can now be hands-free with the latest wearable tech gadgets. It is estimated that over 81 million adults will be using wearable technology by 2018.

This technology is now being introduced into the workplace and allowing us to work smarter. Wearable technology isn’t just for personal health and fitness anymore; this type of technology should be adopted into all fields because of its positive effects.

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By Intelegia

Intelegia's Isabelle Poirier will be leading three sessions at our Social Media for Economic Developers seminar, coming up on May 26 and 27. It will be a great opportunity to breathe new life into your social media presence for your economic development agency and learn from the leading experts in the field of digital marketing for economic development.

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By Laura Fuller

A study conducted by Professor Jeylan Mortimer, as well as various publications suggest that youth unemployment has grim outcomes for those that remain dependent on their primary caregiver in their adulthood.  Young people who are not in employment, education or training (referred to as NEETs) are associated with lowered self-efficacy, whether or not the person has been living with their parents or not. Youth blame themselves for their lack of employment, even though a job market that is unsteady and difficult to penetrate is often the cause of job loss.

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By Michelle Madden

The Higher ED Blog publishes a quarterly economic development research roundup that shares new research practitioners might find useful. The series draws from Economic Development Quarterly, Regional Studies, the Journal of Rural Studies, and other reputable peer-reviewed academic journals.

The drivers behind university-region engagement

Many economic developers are looking for ways to spur innovation, fill skill gaps, and make the most of local assets. Meanwhile, universities are increasingly expected to engage with their regions and provide value to them.  There is more interest than ever in encouraging university-region engagement but there is less clarity in what this engagement should look like, and how to create more of it.

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