The November federal budget allocated billions for nationbuilding projects to jump start the economy, to insulate Canada from geopolitical threats and to change our growth trajectory. All of that hinges on talent and innovation, supported by a strong postsecondary sector.
But that sector is running on empty. Last summer, RBC Thought Leadership partnered with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable and Higher Education Strategy Associates to hold a series of roundtable dialogues about the future of postsecondary education.
We heard concern – from coast to coast from industry representatives, governments and educators – that the perception postsecondary institutions are out of touch is growing and therefore threatening their argument to reverse years of funding cuts. It’s a vicious cycle, and colleges and universities will need to shift gears to get out of it.
Last fall, a group of postsecondary and business leaders came together with policymakers to help with that critical shift. We hosted a summit focused on driving Canada’s ambitions in three key areas – space and defence, AI and digital technology and major energy projects.
The resulting report, Powering a Postsecondary Pivot, outlines more than 30 specific actions that governments, industry and postsecondary leaders can take to ensure Canada has the talent and technology needed to capitalize on opportunities tied to its current nationbuilding agenda.
Building our innovation capacity to fight wildfires and encouraging skills development in the energy and critical minerals sector are two key activities from that list.
Help position Canada as NATO’s wildfire-fighting nation
Canada recently agreed to the NATO commitment to allocate five per cent of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence- and security-related spending by 2035. While not part of core defence, wildfires (and climate change more broadly) are recognized by NATO as a “threat multiplier,” so spending that builds Canadian firefighting capacity and resilience aligns with our obligations.
Wildfires have obvious humanitarian and environmental implications. They are also a threat to national security and international order. They can damage military facilities, disrupt training and occupy forces in response efforts at the expense of other needs.
Fires can also compromise supply chains and critical infrastructure such as communication systems and energy grids, and can create diplomatic tensions. Smoke is not confined to national borders (nor are its health impacts). It can close airspace and seriously impact international travel and trade.
The skilled trades are in need of strengthened apprenticeship programs
Canada is already ahead in developing wildfire monitoring capability. Project WildFireSat is developing microsatellites that will measure fire heat, including during daily peak burns when existing satellite technology fails to capture the necessary data. This technology will help Canada track fire activity and inform management efforts.
Similar technology and skill could be deployed abroad. Federal defence spending commitments represent an opportunity to grow these and other wildfire management capabilities, such as AI-enabled disaster response and drone technologies.
On the heels of our national dialogue series, I encouraged Canadian universities and colleges to lean into thematic strengths and develop unique reputations as part of their modernization strategies. Could this be an opportunity to do that?
Several universities have programs on disaster response, UBC and Carleton have research and programs advancing relevant technology, while a number of colleges offer first-responder training. These are all exciting initiatives that fall within broader institutional mandates.
Who would government or industry turn to in a crisis when it needs advice, talent or innovation for emergency management? It seems to me there’s an opportunity for research and programming that capitalize on federal defence dollars and help position one or a cluster of Canadian institutions as a global leader in fighting wildfires.
Drive energy and critical mineral projects forward
Federal and provincial governments are passing legislation and announcing plans to streamline approvals and get shovels in the ground on major nationbuilding projects. These will generate and transport clean energy, as well as extract the critical minerals needed. But they will stall without the necessary skilled labour.
The energy sector is currently dealing with large, technical skill gaps. In the electricity sector alone, 28,000 new employees will be needed by 2028, equivalent to 25 per cent of the current labour force – 57 per cent to replace retiring employees, 43 per cent to meet expansion demand, according to Electricity Human Resources Canada.
Meanwhile, enrolment in the disciplines needed to move forward with critical minerals extraction has taken a nosedive. The Mining Industry Human Resources Council describes that industry as one of the least popular disciplines for undergraduate engineering in Canada, representing just one per cent of total engineering enrolment. It also highlights a concerning drop in the number of geologists being trained.
Canada needs to build excitement around its energy sector and the potential careers in it if we have any hope of fueling growth. A few postsecondary institutions – such as the University of Alberta with its mining engineering program and energy research portfolio, and Concordia with its energy transition research – could act as a major force.
Canadian institutions need to focus on providing foresight and skills to capitalize on opportunities, such as those the American Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations identified, and prevent Canada from falling behind other countries, such as China, which is forging ahead with its clean energy transition, backed by growing strength and investment in R&D.
Time to shift gears
There are many other urgent social and economic priorities that postsecondary institutions could be taking up in bigger, bolder ways in conjunction with industry, governments (including First Nations band councils) – such as cultivating talent and innovation in the agriculture sector or developing advanced space capabilities for Arctic defence. The list is extensive.
The point is that Canada needs the creative thinkers, capable workers and bold innovations that we’ve relied on colleges and universities to deliver in the past. Without that, we will stall in our efforts to reorient the economy and unlock new sources of value amid climate pressures, technological forces and an uncertain trade environment.
Offering more distinct and relevant choices to students and industry partners will help the postsecondary sector demonstrate value to Canadians. That will in turn build a stronger case to restore the public funding needed to ensure our colleges and universities remain engines for growth and prosperity in the years ahead.
