Why Canada’s Workforce Strategy Must Include Colleges

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Pari Johnston, President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, about why the country’s workforce strategy must include its colleges.

Johnston shares how colleges are powering applied research and training across the country, from AI labs to smart farms, while advancing Indigenous economic reconciliation and helping communities navigate economic transition. She also discusses the ripple effects of recent international-student policy changes and what they reveal about Canada’s broader labour and demographic challenges.

Tune in to hear Johnston’s insights on how colleges can power Canada’s future prosperity.

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Jennifer Ditchburn

Jennifer Ditchburn is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. From 2016 to 2021, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the IRPP’s influential digital magazine, Policy Options. Prior to joining the IRPP, Jennifer spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and for CBC Television. She is the co-editor with Graham Fox of The Harper Factor: Assessing a Prime Minister’s Policy Legacy (McGill-Queen’s).

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