Atlantic Canada’s universities have an important part to play in defusing the region’s “demographic time bomb,” write Association of Atlantic Universities CEO Ava Czapalay and St Francis Xavier University President Andrew Hakin. In their recent opinion piece, Czapalay and Hakin explain that the region faces an aging population, a higher death rate than birth rate, and plummeting immigration and in-migration rates. In order for the region to have the workforce it needs to thrive in the future, they explain that the region will need university graduates in addition to skilled trades workers. They explain that universities are prepared to develop solutions to avoid upcoming demographic problems, while also serving as economic drivers in their communities. They also note that the AAU plans to expand its employer partnerships and address areas with strong workforce demand.
