Foreword

This review has been written by the Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as part of a project undertaken in co-operation with Employment and Social Development Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities and the Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy and Yukon’s Department of Education. This project is part of the OECD LEED programme of work under the leadership of Sylvain Giguère, Head of Division, who reviewed this report.

The principal authors are Thomas Townsend (University of Ottawa) and Jonathan Barr (OECD). Michela Meghnagi and Pierre Georgin provided valuable statistical and data analysis support, which was critical to the production of this report. Thanks also go to François Iglesias for production assistance and Janine Treves who provided useful editorial support.

Special thanks should be given to federal and provincial officials who contributed to this report and participated in the OECD study visits: Ramona McDowell and Saloie Moreno, Employment and Social Development Canada; Leah Goodwin, Ministry of the Economy, Saskatchewan; and Judy Thrower, Anton Solomon, and Shawn Kitchen, the Yukon Department of Education.

Special thanks should also be given to local stakeholders and indigenous groups in each of the case study areas, who participated in meetings and provided documentation and comments critical to the production of the report.