A Macro-level Approach to Examining Canada’s Primary Industry Towns in a Knowledge Economy

Using a macro-level approach the purpose of this paper is to examine the economic well-being of primary industry communities as well as ascertain if they are adequately preparing to compete in today’s knowledge economy. Large samples of census subdivisions (CSDs) were used to compare primary industry municipalities with diversified municipalities across Canada from 1986 to 2001. In addition, towns that maintained a high percentage of employment in primary industry were compared to ones that diversified their employment base. It was found that diverse municipalities endured a greater era of development and are better positioned for success in the future. Unexpected were results from 1986 to 1996 when diversifying primary industry towns did not incur substantial gains compared to concentrating primary industry communities. From 1996 to 2001 though, it became advantageous for communities to strive towards a diverse economic base. A contributing factor to this phenomenon is the fact that knowledge jobs played a minimal role in diversifying communities from 1991 to 1996. However, from 1996 to 2001 diversifying primary industry towns substantially increased the percentage of jobs related to the knowledge economy. Correlating to this shift in employment structure were positive changes to the socio-economic make up of these towns. Additionally the size and geography of single industry towns are revealed as significant factors for the viability of single industry towns. Utilisant une approche de niveau marco, l’objectif de cet article est d’etudier la sante economique des communautes de l’industrie primaire, et de determiner si elles sont adequatement preparees pour faire concurrence dans la nouvelle economie d’aujourd’hui. De grands echantillons de subdivisions recensees (CSDs) ont ete utilises, pour comparer les communautes de l’industrie primaire avec des municipalites a economie diversifiee a travers le Canada, de 1986 a 2001. De plus, les villes ayant maintenu un pourcentage d’emploi eleve dans l’industrie primaire ont ete comparees aux municipalites qui ont diversifie leur emploi pendant la meme periode. Il a ete demontre que les municipalites presentant une economie diversifiee vivent un developpement durable et sont mieux positionnees pour le succes dans le futur. L’imprevu etait le resultat de 1986 a 1996, lorsque les villes ayant diversifie leur industrie primaire n’ont pas obtenu de gains substantiels, en comparaison aux municipalites qui ont concentre leur economie dans le secteur primaire. Cependant, de 1996 a 2001, il devint avantageux pour les communautes de se diriger vers une economie diversifiee. Un des facteur contribuant a ce phenomene est le fait que les emplois hautement specialises jouaient un role mineur dans les communautes a economie diversifiee de 1986 a 1996. Toutefois, de 1996 a 2001, les villes a economie primaire s’etant tournees vers une economie diversifiee ont augmente, de maniere substantielle, le pourcentage d’emploi relie a l’economie du savoir. Correle a ce changement dans la structure de l’emploi, ces villes ont aussi presente une evolution socio-economique positive.