April 2015 | David MacKinnon
The report, A New Northern Lens: Looking out is as important as looking in, was researched and written by David MacKinnon, Fellow in Comparative Growth with Northern Policy Institute, and examines Northern Ontario alongside other northern regions, including Nunavut, Alaska, Siberia, Scandinavia, and Iceland.
Using this comparative analysis, MacKinnon outlines 10 recommendations for moving the region toward a brighter future of economic success, social stability, and innovative resource management. Some of the recommendations include:
- The slow growth in the region cannot be blamed solely on the mining and forestry sectors. All factors affecting the economy must be brought into consideration in order to successfully address them.
- Northern Ontario has more in common with other northern jurisdictions in Canada and around the world than it does with Southern Ontario. Benchmarking and comparisons should reflect this.
- Primary industries account for only 6.5 percent of total employment in the region. Economic strategy should not be based exclusively on primary industries.
- The province should establish stronger linkages with other northern regions in other countries and devote more attention to the Arctic Council and similar organizations.
- More innovation is needed with the natural resources in the region.