1. _________________________________________
Building a 21st Century Workforce
in the Columbia Basin-Boundary Region
Annual Workforce Development Learning Summit
Nelson, BC
June 19, 2017
Dr. Terri MacDonald
Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development
Selkirk College

2. Agenda
Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters Workforce Development
Photo Courtesy of MIDAS

3. Build it and They Will Come
Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters
Economic Development Prevailing Approaches
Open for Business
Big Game Hunting
The Next Big Thing
Build it and They Will Come
Improve the general business climate
Compete aggressively for plants and new investments
Enter new high tech/growth industries
Invest in large infrastructure/industrial zone projects

4. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

5. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

6. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

7. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

8. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

9. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

10. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters
What are ‘clusters’?
Geographic concentration of interconnected companies, suppliers, service providers, that operate in the same or related industry sectors
Competitiveness but also cooperation between companies
What are ‘cluster initiatives’?
Collaborative activities by a group of companies, public sector entities, and other related institutions with the objective to improve the competitiveness of a group of interlinks economic activities in a specific geographic region
Competitiveness but also cooperation between companies
Involves upgrading of company operations and strategies across a group of companies, upgrading of cluster-specific business environment conditions, and strengthening of networks to enhance spill-overs and other benefits

11. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

12. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

13. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

14. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

15. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

16. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

17. Economic Development & Growing Competitive Clusters

19. Living wage – has been passed by US local governments typically affect only certain groups of workers such as public employees and workers whose employers have government contracts or are receiving economic development subsidies
CBA – between community groups and a developer to set forth a range of community benefits as part of the project e.g. affordable housing, green building practices, parks, childcare centres, etc.
Incentive criteria – ‘low road’ economic dvp strategy of providing tax incentives for businesses to come, expand or not leave
Hire local – could be part of CBAs and incentive criteria
Trade or labour unions – bargain with employers on behalf of their members

21. Examples of Cluster-Focus Strategies

22. Growing Competitive Clusters
Building a 21st Century Workforce
Facilitating Inclusive Access to Quality Jobs
Enhancing and Building Regional Industry-Education-Community Collaborations

23. Regional Cluster Development
Mining & Metals
Forestry
Advanced Manufacturing
Tourism
Technology

24. _________________________________________
Building a 21st Century Workforce
in the Columbia Basin-Boundary Region
Annual Workforce Development Learning Summit
Nelson, BC
June 19, 2017
Dr. Terri MacDonald
Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development
Selkirk College