Rural, Remote, & Northern Communities

Alex Binkley, National Newswatch | September 24, 2024 Ottawa-Nearly one-third of the jobs in agriculture and one-fifth of those in food and beverage manufacturing could be taken over by automation within the next decade, which will require the development of new skill sets in the sector, says a report from the Conference Board of Canada.

Northwestern Canada is experiencing double the rate of climate warming compared to the global average, impacting water resources and regional climate. To track these changes, a network of ten eddy covariance (EC) towers—which allow for the tracking of greenhouse gases—were installed across the Northwest Territories. However, the lack of local expertise jeopardizes their upkeep and subsequently the data they track.

The FEED the North project, spearheaded by the Ocean Wise Conservation Association, targeted economic and environmental challenges in Nunavut, which were intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and by climate change. This initiative aimed to merge traditional Inuit knowledge with Western science, enhancing sustainability in local fisheries and bridging Indigenous and Western environmental conservation methods.

Indigenous Works, a national Indigenous not-for-profit organization, developed the Luminary Research and Innovation Project to enhance innovation in Indigenous business environments, with the knowledge that more Indigenous-led research is needed to catalyze innovation and community well-being. 

The Hecate Strait Employment Development Society (HSEDS) developed WorkLabNorth, an online career development and training platform tailored to rural and remote communities in Northwest British Columbia.

The University College of the North (UCN) developed the Information Technology Readiness North (InTeRN) program, which is exclusively designed for Northern Indigenous women.

Aurora College conducted a feasibility study to assess the viability of establishing an Indigenous Business Centre of Excellence (IBCE).

Using an existing competency framework from the Mining Industry Human Resources Council, and extensive input from front-line workers and supervisors, this project developed 10 microlearning modules and accompanying coaching supports on behaviour-based safety and communication.

Even before the increased demand brought on by the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care agreements, early childhood educators (ECEs) were increasingly being called on to obtain more skills and credentials, without a parallel increase in wages, benefits, or improvements in working conditions. If wages and working conditions do not improve, there is concern that there will not be enough qualified ECEs to implement the national program.