This presentation will examine how Atlantic Canadian agricultural producers and processors are handling labour supply challenges and discuss the long-term viability of this sector. The labour challenges facing the agriculture sector are also relevant for producers and processors in New Brunswick’s aquaculture and fisheries sectors.
In some parts of the country, the decline in small farmers over the past century has led to consolidation into large industrial farms – in Atlantic Canada, some consolidation has occurred, but this has not staved off a general decline in productive farmland. The exit of small farmers and their unpaid family members has resulted in an abundance of relatively low-paying jobs that are difficult to fill using local labour supply, leading to:
Recently, the pandemic has raised questions about how to accommodate labour shortages amid large domestic unemployment. In New Brunswick, labour supply issues related to COVID-19 prompted farmers, seafood processors and aquaculture firms to speak out about the effects of such challenges on their competitiveness.
What is the long-term viability of local producers and processors, and what policy options could help them respond or adapt to pressing labour supply challenges?
Robert Falconer – Research Associate in Immigration and Refugee Policy, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
This presentation will touch on three elements related to innovation and productivity:
The presentation will conclude with discussion of the directions for public policy that arise from the analysis of the innovation and productivity situation in the province.
Dr. Andrew Sharpe - Executive Director, Centre for the Study of Living Standards
How are the province’s manufacturers doing in their drive towards Industry 4.0? Join Herb Emery and Martin Davis for a first look at the data describing the maturity of our province’s manufacturers and to be part of a discussion about what those data suggest are the opportunities for improving their competitiveness. The data come from a survey instrument built from Martin Davis’s 6 dimension model describing the path to Industry 4.0.
Martin Davis - Managing Partner, DUNELM Associates
Herb Emery, JDI Roundtable Chair and Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics
This webinar will feature a panel discussion on what we could do for the economy of New Brunswick with a renewed focus of policy on ensuring the competitiveness of manufacturers in the province. Panelists Adrienne O’Pray, Sheri Somerville and Cathy Simpson will assess how much potential we have to create growth and good jobs in this sector, and will discuss the actions and policies that they see as the key for New Brunswick to capitalize on its traditional strength.
Moderator: Sarah McRae – Postdoctoral Fellow, UNB
Adrienne O’Pray – CEO, New Brunswick Business Council
