Jobs seem to be the number one priority for most northerners in Canada, according to a recent survey.
The report, carried out by the Conference Board of Canada, looks at the labour force in northern Canada and the challenges it’s currently facing.
In the report, a survey was done of 1,300 northern residents, including those living in Saskatchewan.
It found that 6-in-10 northerners feel that more employment opportunities are the best way to make their communities better places to live.
Anja Jeffrey is the director of the conference board’s think-tank, Centre for the North — the group that completed the work.
She says the results show how important economic development is for northern residents.
At the same time, Jeffrey says they also found that desire for jobs was tempered by a desire to protect the environment.
The report also found that a paradox exists in northern Canada, because there are lot of job opportunities out there in many areas, but the existing labour force lacks the skills to fulfill them.
Partnerships, particularly ones that focus on specific education and boosting graduation rates, are considered a key solution to the problem.