CALGARY – The Canada West Foundation is proud to announce the official launch of three new research centres. The centres will focus on the most important topics affecting western Canada’s long-term prosperity – human capital, trade and investment, and natural resources.
“The old ways of building and maintaining economic prosperity in western Canada no longer make sense,” notes Dylan Jones, President & CEO. “Canada’s 10 million baby boomers have started to retire, global demand for food will double in less than 20 years, and the Chinese economy is only a few years away from overtaking the US. We need to ‘do a 180’ in three critical areas – people, markets and products – to ensure the West reaches its potential. With three entrepreneurial thought leaders at the helm of our new research centres, we will be generating the insight the public and governments need to understand these challenges and make the right choices to address them.”
“The centres are not about bricks and mortar. They are about bringing evidence, ideas, experts, stakeholders and policymakers together to solve the big challenges the West faces,” notes Vice President of Research Robert Roach.
The Centre for Trade & Investment Policy will promote growth and profitability in western Canada’s export economy. The centre is directed by Carlo Dade, a leading voice in debates on recent Canadian free trade agreements and former Senior Fellow in the University of Ottawa’s School of International Development.
The Centre for Human Capital Policy will champion the development of a skilled and productive workforce able to meet the needs of the West’s economy. The centre is led by Janet Lane, former Executive Director of Literacy Alberta and an expert on literary and essential skills development.
The Centre for Natural Resources Policy will help ensure the responsible development of the West’s natural resources. Len Coad, who joined the Foundation in April, has extensive experience in policy development and was previously the Director of Energy, Environment and Transportation Policy at the Conference Board of Canada.
The Canada West Foundation is the only think tank with an exclusive focus on the policies that shape the West’s quality of life. Through our evidence-based research and commentary, we provide the objective, practical solutions that governments need. For over 40 years, we have been a passionate advocate for western Canada. Visit us at www.cwf.ca.