Niagara Economic Summit 2022

Panel 1: Boom or Bust

The economic legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic is continued instability, marked by inflation, labour shortages, and supply chain weaknesses. We have rapidly shifted from trying to stimulate an economy suppressed by restrictions to reining in an economy that is rapidly overheating. This panel will assess our economic future and how we might chart a path back to stability and predictability.

Panel 2: The War for Talent

Labour shortages are forecast to continue for the rest of the decade. In 2022, over a million jobs were unfilled in Canada, and every month, Statistics Canada announces a new record-low unemployment rate. We must overcome our workforce issues to remain competitive and assure Niagara’s place in the war for talent.

Panel 3: Housing the Future

The recent cooling of the market has done nothing to alleviate the shortage of housing, and the underlying problems that caused runaway house prices remain unaddressed. The housing sector will have to cope with new challenges, such as the necessary transition to net-zero housing, to greater density, and the need for more human-scaled urban planning. Niagara needs a housing strategy that is affordable, sustainable, and delivers for our workforce and our future.