State of the West 2003 – Multimedia Version

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Western Canada… Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Four provinces, one goal: long-term prosperity for all! One of the ways Western Economic Diversification Canada, or WD, is helping Western Canadians reach that goal is through targeted research that yields a better understanding of the region, its people, and its economy. A great example of this research is a document called State of the West, produced by the Canada West Foundation with support from WD and the Kahanoff Foundation.

State of the West is a gold mine of social and economic data; now in its second printing. The document is a key step in the Canada West Foundation’s “Building the New West” initiative that will provide a roadmap for Western Canadian prosperity to the year 2010. If you want to know what’s happening in the West, here it is!

The State of the West looks at regional trends and diversity across the West.

Some of the stories in State of the West are familiar. Natural resources and agriculture still drive the western economy and we need to find more ways to add value to our commodities before shipping them to market. But the West is branching out. Research, innovation and commercialization are more than just buzzwords now, as we are witnessing growth in a number of emerging, high-tech industries.

Our economy is closely linked to our main trading partner: the United States. We must nurture our trading relationship with the U.S., but must also diversify our export markets. While this is a common Canadian challenge, the West trades different products than the rest of the country and has to strategize accordingly.

To improve economic performance, the West needs to attract more immigrants. In BC for example, more people are dying than being born. Immigration could well be the only source of actual population growth by 2025. Western Canada was built on immigration. In 1911, 50 percent of the region’s residents were born abroad. Today, that figure is only 18 percent. It is interesting to note that although Western Canada is often viewed as homogeneous, natural resource-influenced culture, it’s actually a very diverse region.

Current trends suggest that the western Canadian economies will continue to experience very different rates of growth: a prosperous Alberta when oil and gas prices are high; a steady-as-she-goes Manitoba; and challenging times for BC and Saskatchewan as they cope with some significant weaknesses in economic structure. In order to create sustained growth and economic vibrancy we must get the word out about opportunities in the West and continue to compete for skilled people coming to Canada from abroad.

The report reinforces the importance of Aboriginal people’s engagement in the economy, particularly in the Prairie Provinces.

The future prosperity of Western Canada will be linked to the full participation of Aboriginal people in the region’s economy and society. Two-thirds of Canada’s Aboriginal people live in the Western provinces, with a majority living in urban areas. The young Aboriginal population can help fill employment gaps as the West’s population ages. But young Aboriginal people must acquire the skills and knowledge required in the knowledge-based economy job market. It’s a challenge to meet these needs at a time when Aboriginal people are facing social problems such as high unemployment, low income and social barriers.

State of the West is the story of Western Canada yesterday, today and tomorrow, and it’s all yours by download at the following addresses.