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In Part 1 of this two-part article I looked back at the positive impact that “changing circumstances” have had on the fortunes of some countries in past years. Such as Norway and Saudi Arabia, who came from nowhere to be two of the wealthiest per capita nations in the world in just a few decades.
I reflected on the “golden age” this province experienced when shipbuilding, marine-based manufacturing, and sea-going transportation supported a thriving economy for our predecessors to enjoy; only to be wiped out by changing circumstances, including the advent of steam propulsion and steel-hulled ships which closed literally scores of shipyards in our province.
Looking to the future, I asked what future “changing circumstances” could have a positive impact on the quality of life we would enjoy in our province going forward. Surprisingly, “climate change” and “global security” came to mind as two potential “changing circumstances” that could be positive forces affecting our future economic growth.
I read of forecasted global warming trends, and their impact on the agricultural sector of the North American continent. It appears that if such changes play out, our agricultural sector could become an even more important contributor to our economy, with a wider range of produce for local, and out-of-province consumption.
In this Part 2 of the article I move on to “global security” as the second major “changing circumstance” that I believe could also have significant positive effects on our provincial and local economies.
Consider that forty per cent of Canada’s military assets are currently located in Nova Scotia. The defence and aerospace manufacturing sectors alone contribute over $1.5 billion to our provincial economy annually, and it’s clear that as a country we will need to be investing more in our national security, especially with the U.S. as a more uncertain partner.
We will also need to step up protection of our sovereignty over our Arctic territories and deploy a much stronger naval presence in the Northwest Passage, as with global warming it becomes more open to natural resource exploitation and territorial disputes over who owns what.
The east coast of Canada will be a main focus of much of this activity and we will see considerably more investment in its port facilities. And there will be growing employment opportunities throughout our province in technology-based businesses specialising in marine and military applications where we have already developed considerable expertise.
Just a year ago Federal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains announced the creation of five “Supercluster” groups across Canada, with each receiving a slice of a $950 million funding pie aimed at boosting regional job growth and technological innovation.
Among the beneficiaries, is the so-called Ocean Supercluster—an industry-led collaboration of ocean-sector businesses based in Atlantic Canada, pursuing opportunities in marine renewable energy, fisheries, aquaculture, oil and gas, defence, shipbuilding, transportation and ocean technology; and supported by our local universities and governments. This is exactly the type of initiative needed to foster a strong national security capability in our part of the world.
The funding is said to work out to $125 million to $250 million per Supercluster, matched dollar for dollar by the private sector. According to the federal government, the funding is expected to create 50,000 skills-based jobs and grow Canada's economy by $50 billion over the next 10 years. In Atlantic Canada alone, Ottawa predicts the Ocean Supercluster will create 3,000 jobs and contribute $14 billion to the maritime economy.
Assuming visionary local leadership coming from this year’s municipal elections, we will be well placed to gain a sizeable share of this new business. In particular, emphasis on the “human capital” we develop in institutions such as our local NSCC, along with a robust immigration plan serving our region should be key pieces in our plans.
Another significant opportunity area, as a result of increased “global security” trends, will be a product of our relatively sheltered setting in the world, and its appeal to travellers who are finding journeys to risky overseas tourist spots less appealing.
A recent global survey by CNN no less, found that for more than two-thirds of global respondents, safety and security is now of greater concern when choosing an international travel destination, whether traveling for leisure or business.
There is also a growing class of potential visitors that will increasingly see our province as a calming retreat, a sanctuary, a place for renewal, in our increasing stressful world.
These are two emerging qualities of the “visitor experience “to our province that needs to be given more profile, along with our standard fare of Peggy’s Cove and the Cabot Trail.
Alan Walter is a retired professional engineer living in Oxford. He was born in Wales and worked in Halifax. He spends much of his time in Oxford, where he operates a small farm. He can be reached at [email protected].
