Today CCPA released a paper on sector development policy by Jim Stanford. The general goal of sector development policy is to attain a more desirable sectoral mix in the economy, winning a greater share of output and employment in identified high-value or “strategic” sectors than would otherwise be the case. Sector development policy has been historically important in Canada, given our ongoing national challenge to escape the “staples trap,” and become more than just a resource-supplier to other countries. We need more industries that add value to our resources (rather than exporting them in raw form); that generate more high-income, high-quality jobs; that embody technology and innovation; and that contribute to greater success in world markets.
This report details the negative structural consequences of the mostly unregulated resource boom and proposes a set of measures which would help to minimize those negative side-effects of resource development, and contribute to a more balanced, successful, and sustainable industry mix in Canada’s economy in future generations.
Read the full report: A Cure for Dutch Disesase: Active Sector Strategies for Canada’s Economy.
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— Kathleen Ruff, founder, RightOn Canada