IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES

Regional Challenges

Several focus group meetings were held throughout the first phase of this process. On May 25, 2021, sixteen meetings were held throughout the day with various groups and organizations to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the region. A second date was scheduled for November 1, 2021, for additional groups who could not attend in May to provide feedback.

In total, eighteen meetings were held with each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Many of the individuals who attended these meetings were stakeholders, business owners, residents, representatives of community organizations, community members and leaders, and government officials.

During the many meetings, several issues were identified that were present before the pandemic and became worse during the lockdown. Addressing these issues now with long-term planning and investment will strengthen the overall economic health of the region. The issues highlighted in the economic assessment and identified during the focus group meetings were challenges that the community was facing before the pandemic but which were worsened by the new economic and social constraints present during the pandemic.

Workforce Shortages

Population declines in the region had already created challenges for employers in all industries in attracting and retaining adequate staff. The impacts of forecasted population declines will further exacerbate the problem as the Baby Boomer generation continues to retire. The COVID-19 pandemic saw unprecedented numbers of people retiring early or simply not returning to work. The region will need to work together to ensure that there is adequate infrastructure, such as broadband, and housing to attract new workers and families to the region. In addition, regional attraction and retention programs should be implemented to strengthen the number of workers available in the region.