The Future of Canada and its regions....

[saffronleaf]

I think Ontario should set up regional governments for NE ON and NW ON (with new distinct names, e.g., Huron and Superior). Gradually devolve provincial powers to the regional governments. Eventually form separate provinces. NE ON should be a bilingual province like NB.

Have some tripartite agreement with respect to far north natural resources.

Allow the regional governments to have their own provincial nominee programs to attract immigrants.

[saffronleaf]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Alberta,
Oil will decline in relevance, there will thus be less money available for tax cuts (a cheap, stupid "economic diversification strategy"). Steady depopulation as people move to neighbouring provinces for jobs or even to Eastern Canada and the USA.

While I don't think the O&G industry is done yet...

I think Calgary needs to reimagine itself to be like Denver. It's a great place to live. It's not just some remote Prairie resource town. It's beautiful, increasingly diverse, and the climate is passable for Canadian standards.

Edmonton will be fine because it is a provincial capital of one of the big 4 provinces; it's a gateway to the North; has a big university; and there is a lot of operations work and capacity that will probably keep chugging along even if the O&G industry overall declines.

AB will be fine.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by saffronleaf

While I don't think the O&G industry is done yet...

I think Calgary needs to reimagine itself to be like Denver. It's a great place to live. It's not just some remote Prairie resource town. It's beautiful, increasingly diverse, and the climate is passable for Canadian standards.

Edmonton will be fine because it is a provincial capital of one of the big 4 provinces; it's a gateway to the North; has a big university; and there is a lot of operations work and capacity that will probably keep chugging along even if the O&G industry overall declines.

AB will be fine.

I would agree in regard to Calgary needing to go the way of Denver. The claims of Calgary becoming Canada's Detroit are utter nonsense. While diversification is proving difficult, we have only been at this major push for a few years, and the outcomes are starting to look promising. However, with major/unprecedentedly large construction projects underway like the Stoney Trail Ring Highway completion (45 kilometers, complete 2022), Green Line LRT (20 kilometers, complete 2026), Calgary Cancer Centre, all of which employ thousands of people and are multi-billion dollar investments each, with the arena deal and the regional flood protection system likely soon to finally come through as well, employment numbers should remain strong in the region through the mid 2020s. This combined with a serious surge in interest in urban living in Calgary (and indeed across Canada at large), chiefly due to the amazing number of ongoing public realm improvements that the city and CMLC are overseeing, which will ensure multi-family/tower construction remains steady or even increases into the mid-term.

Regardless of any of that though, Calgary will not be seeing another office tower constructed for at least a decade, can bet on that.

The major investments Calgary is making in its public spaces, health care, education, and cultural institutions will ensure that the city remains attractive in the long term.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by saffronleaf

I think Ontario should set up regional governments for NE ON and NW ON (with new distinct names, e.g., Huron and Superior). Gradually devolve provincial powers to the regional governments. Eventually form separate provinces. NE ON should be a bilingual province like NB.

Have some tripartite agreement with respect to far north natural resources.

Allow the regional governments to have their own provincial nominee programs to attract immigrants.

I think Ontario should cut services to the North such as hospitals, ice rinks, community centers, etc. Use the savings to reduce our provincial deficit. Northern Ontario should be used as a natural resource factory to be mined/deforested in a sustainable way and a cheap recreational getaway. Right now it's a money pit with huge subsidies for the various municipalities there that aren't pulling their weight. Better to spend it on cutting the deficit/debt and concentrate Ontario's population in the main corridors to make transportation more profitable and where revenue per dollar spent is highest.

[b31den]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

I think Ontario should cut services to the North such as hospitals, ice rinks, community centers, etc. Use the savings to reduce our provincial deficit. Northern Ontario should be used as a natural resource factory to be mined/deforested in a sustainable way and a cheap recreational getaway. Right now it's a money pit with huge subsidies for the various municipalities there that aren't pulling their weight. Better to spend it on cutting the deficit/debt and concentrate Ontario's population in the main corridors to make transportation more profitable and where revenue per dollar spent is highest.

Are you talking about Ontario, or the Colonial Americas? It's true that ultimately all the cities in Canada gain their wealth and power from the hinterlands, but you gotta keep the colonies happy enough to avoid revolt.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by b31den

Are you talking about Ontario, or the Colonial Americas? It's true that ultimately all the cities in Canada gain their wealth and power from the hinterlands, but you gotta keep the colonies happy enough to avoid revolt.

I think mistercorporate's favourite book was the Hunger Games.

[lio45]

He does have a bit of a point though: generally speaking, it's very unenvironmental to allow permanent cities to pop up in areas that should only be temporary resource-harvesting camps. The environmental footprint of the people who will then be living there is absolutely massive (and at that point, there's no reason for them to be there instead of somewhere else).

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Pinus

Isn't Airdrie the new Okotoks now?

Yes, at current population growth Airdrie would have 54 million people by 2118.

[Lugnut]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

The future of Waterloo Region seems bright. Things could change if there's a high tech bust, but they've weathered such storms in the past and seem to have a knack for reinventing themselves. I do wonder what the longterm impact will be, however, if/when the provincial government pulls the plug on HSR.

There's always that risk, although WR seems better suited to deal with it then they did a few years ago when it seemed like Blackberry and little else.

Do you think much of their growth is HSR related though?

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by lio45

That's an interesting view. We just got elections here, and the only federalist party was rejected by francophone Québécois to levels never witnessed before historically. Meanwhile the two openly sovereigntist parties (without even needing to consider the CAQ's share of sovereigntist support) got, only between the two of them, a high enough share of the vote to be in majority government territory (high 30%s). (They almost merged recently, but in the end did not.)

I think the economy going well is a much larger phenomenon than what you make it sound like. Also, it may (and likely will) continue to do well under the new "nationalistic" government we now have.

The support for sovereignty is still at historic lows, and I don't think there's reason to believe the support for the sovereigntist parties is anything but the Baby Boomer remnants which continue to hold onto the pipe dream. I would argue that the election of the CAQ is further proof of sovereignty's dying relevance since it is the first time in forever that Quebec chose a party which is largely quiet on the issue.

In terms of the economy, I agree it's going to continue with the CAQ government. Trumpeting the Quebecois nation is different from the threat of secession. The latter is much more disruptive. As long as the CAQ doesn't try to rock the boat and continues to make Quebec (specifically Montreal) attractive to business and investment, I think Quebec's outlook is going to be rosy for quite some time.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

The support for sovereignty is still at historic lows, and I don't think there's reason to believe the support for the sovereigntist parties is anything but the Baby Boomer remnants which continue to hold onto the pipe dream.

Well, Québec solidaire supporters by and large cannot be categorized as "Baby Boomer Remnants".

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, Québec solidaire supporters by and large cannot be categorized as "Baby Boomer Remnants".

True, but I wonder how many people voted for Quebec solidaire based upon their support for sovereignty versus their other policies. Out of all the major parties in Quebec, are they not the furthest left?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

True, but I wonder how many people voted for Quebec solidaire based upon their support for sovereignty versus their other policies. Out of all the major parties in Quebec, are they not the furthest left?

There is a poll cited somewhere on SSP Canada that shows that CAQ supporters are actually more likely to favour independence than Québec solidaire supporters.

Bottom line is that victory may not be at hand for these guys, but the issue isn't going away anytime soon.

[Zeej]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, Québec solidaire supporters by and large cannot be categorized as "Baby Boomer Remnants".

Though similar to the CAQ's base not being entirely federalist, the QS base is not entirely sovereignist. Their ideologies are broad enough to cross those lines and although the party itself is staunchly sovereignist, many of its supporters are not.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Zeej

Though similar to the CAQ's base not being entirely federalist, the QS base is not entirely sovereignist. Their ideologies are broad enough to cross those lines and although the party itself is staunchly sovereignist, many of its supporters are not.

QS tends to see independence as a means to an end. A more egalitarian and just society is more realistically achievable in a smaller entity (especially one like Quebec) than in a much larger one like Canada.

I would surmise that the vast majority of QS supporters *could live* with the idea of independence, even if there is not a sentiment of urgency or passion like there is among the people who support the PQ.

[CityTech]

If you read the QS platform online, the page on sovereignty is linked to near the bottom of the page (three other things come first). The page itself (https://appuyez.quebecsolidaire.net/independance) talks about independence as a way to promote environmentalism and ditch the monarchy; the traditional nationalist viewpoints involving a sense of distinct peoplehood and the preservation of the French language are completely absent.

It really gives off the sense that independence isn't really their main thing and it's part of an overall leftwing agenda rather than actual nationalism. Sort of like what the SNP in Scotland is like these days.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by CityTech

If you read the QS platform online, the page on sovereignty is linked to near the bottom of the page (three other things come first). The page itself (https://appuyez.quebecsolidaire.net/independance) talks about independence as a way to promote environmentalism and ditch the monarchy; the traditional nationalist viewpoints involving a sense of distinct peoplehood and the preservation of the French language are completely absent.

It really gives off the sense that independence isn't really their main thing and it's part of an overall leftwing agenda rather than actual nationalism. Sort of like what the SNP in Scotland is like these days.

I'd partly agree with this.

During the last campaign, Manon Massé and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois did put the issue at the forefront, but they didn't shy away from it either. They're also pretty strongly in favour of the promotion and protection of French as Quebec's *only* official language.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think mistercorporate's favourite book was the Hunger Games.

"Let them eat Timbits!!" - Marie Antoinette

[ssiguy]

I must say that I am rather surprised that no one has commented on the challenges that all Canadian regions face going forward...……….a quickly declining and aging rural population. I appreciate that probably everyone on this site lives in a city but it effects urbanites as well.

Maintenance of roads, sewers, hospitals, schools, and a quickly aging population is going to put a strain on budgets especially as the population ages and rural areas need more medical/long-term care and schools empty out but still remain open. It could also greatly effect our agricultural industries and there are fewer workers and people willing to live on the farm and as our cities grow the idea of buying locally goes out the window.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I must say that I am rather surprised that no one has commented on the challenges that all Canadian regions face going forward...……….a quickly declining and aging rural population. I appreciate that probably everyone on this site lives in a city but it effects urbanites as well.

Maintenance of roads, sewers, hospitals, schools, and a quickly aging population is going to put a strain on budgets especially as the population ages and rural areas need more medical/long-term care and schools empty out but still remain open. It could also greatly effect our agricultural industries and there are fewer workers and people willing to live on the farm and as our cities grow the idea of buying locally goes out the window.

Agricultural regions have been the rural areas least affected by out migration. Those areas haven't boomed population-wise, but they haven't collapsed either. It has been the mining, forestry and fishing towns that have suffered the most decline.

Indeed, it seems that as traditional farming families have moved out of agriculture, groups such as Mennonites have replaced them. Farms aren't going fallow.

For provinces that have a rural base that's mostly agricultural, I don't see much change from the status quo. It will be the provinces that have a rural base that's dependent on something else that will have the most challenges (sorry Newfoundland).