The JDI Roundtable on Manufacturing Competitiveness in New Brunswick is a public-facing channel for delivering timely, relevant research about the province’s manufacturing sector to a broad audience that includes the general public, the private sector and government.
The Roundtable establishes a coalition of New Brunswick-based manufacturers to identify common challenges that can be addressed and overcome with frank discussion about policies and economic trends. The research examines ways to build on our unique manufacturing strengths in New Brunswick and leverage our existing resources with value-added manufacturing.
The Roundtable is an integral component of the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research (AIPR) at the University of New Brunswick. AIPR is mandated to deliver public policy research that is scholarly, non-partisan, relevant and prescriptive, and the Roundtable serves as an arm to engage the public through broad sharing of its work and research as informed by New Brunswick manufacturers.
Serving as the “go-to” source for evidence-based analysis on manufacturing competitiveness, the Roundtable is also educating future economists. Focusing on the bigger picture, the program examines longer horizon issues and explores deeper structures of the regional economy to better understand why the region has struggled to grow and how New Brunswickers can take action to change that course.
The JDI Roundtable for Manufacturing Competitiveness in New Brunswick has the following objectives:
The signature event of the Roundtable program is the Roundtable Forum. The Forum brings together global thought leaders and regional stakeholders to lead the conversation about addressing the challenges facing manufacturers in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada and explore ways to leverage our strengths and move forward to a more prosperous future.
The 2019 Roundtable Forum was held Sept. 26, 2019, at the Fredericton Convention Centre under the theme, Manufacturing Competitiveness as a Foundation for Building a Better New Brunswick. The 2020 Roundtable Forum was a series of four interactive webinars engaging New Brunswick manufacturers, stakeholders and researchers.