ICTC’s Newsletter

1. A Year in Perspective: Annual Report

  • Digital transformation continues to profoundly change the face of business in Canada while unlocking greater value for the economy and society. According to ICTC’s research, the digital economy employed around 1.45 million Canadians and boasted a job growth that outpaced the rest of the economy by 4 to 1. Such healthy trends are expected to continue in 2019 based on early indications.
  • Read the full report here.

2. Digital Talent Key to Meeting Our Highest-Growth Potential: Canada To See A Strong Demand for Digitally-Skilled Workers In The Coming Years

  • Terms like “upskilling”, “retooling”, “lifelong learning” and a number of others expressing the transitional state of jobs and skills, are quickly becoming common vernacular. With the demand for skilled talent accelerating across sectors, more and more Canadians are focused on ensuring that their competencies match future industry needs. At the same time, recent estimates suggest that the average person will change careers roughly five times in their life, picking up new skills, experiences, and knowledge along the way.
  • Read the full blog post here.

3. Strengthening New Brunswick’s Digital Workforce: A Focus On Cybersecurity Talent

  • ICTC is pleased to announce its partnership with the Government of New Brunswick’s Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour to study the demand for digital talent within the province. Using first-hand findings resulting from consultations with the province’s industry and educational leaders, associations, policymakers, and a variety of other stakeholder groups, this research aims to bolster the province’s cybersecurity industry, and support future growth in the province. By highlighting the jobs, skills, supply, and training pathways that will continue to propel New Brunswick forward, this is a critical step in building the province’s digital future as a cybersecurity leader.
  • Read the full announcement here.

4. 2019 International VDI Conference on Automated Driving

  • On July 9th &10th ICTC’s Senior Director of Research & Policy, Alexandra Cutean, presented at the 2019 International VDI Conference on Automated Driving in Dusseldorf, Germany. With speakers including IBM, Audi, EasyMile, Venable LLP and others, the conference tackled a variety of topics related to automated vehicles including sensor technology, cybersecurity, AV policy and regulation. Offering a labour market perspective, Alexandra presented on the potential employment impact and skill shifts that AVs can have on the Canadian economy, particularly as we move toward a smart future.

5. A Smart Future For Canadians: ICTC Launches Innovative Initiative For An Inclusive And Vibrant Smart Economy

  • ICTC is pleased to announce its research initiative, Towards an Inclusive and Vibrant Smart Economy. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program, over the coming years, ICTC will be examining how urbanization and smart cities are unlocking the potential for economic and job growth across Canada. This is undertaken with the ultimate aim of shining a spotlight on the employment trends and skill needs of Canadian workers in our future cities.
  • Read the full announcement here.

6. Smart Cities Labour Demand and Labour Supply taskforces

  • July 24 & 25: ICTC Research & Policy team hosted its second round of the Smart Cities Labour Demand and Labour Supply taskforces. Taking place in Ottawa, taskforce members discussed preliminary findings from primary research on job and skill needs for tomorrow’s smart economy. The taskforces also shed light on the availability and skills of supply across cities, including new grads, immigrants, Indigenous peoples and others. Lastly, the taskforces also highlighted findings from consultations with municipal leader across Canada, wherein they discussed their city’s challenges, needs, and proposed solutions with the utilization of technology. During this week, ICTC also held its first meeting of the Smart Cities Technology Taskforce, comprised of industry leaders representing technologies like AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, IoT and others. The last meetings of 2019 for the taskforces will take place on November 2019.

7. Outlook 2023 – Coming Soon

  • In September, ICTC’s research & policy team will release its flagship report forecasting employment demand in the digital economy until 2023. A follow-up and expansion on its report Outlook 2021, this report will also offer an analysis of in-demand jobs, skills in Canada over the coming years, along with employment demand across Canada’s 7 high growth industries including Cleantech, Digital Media, Advanced Manufacturing and others. This publication will be key in highlighting Canada’s pathway and potential for employment in a future economy that is increasingly digital, global and competitive.

8. Information and Communications and Technology Council to bring new Work Integrated Learning opportunities to Algonquin College

  • Algonquin College students will benefit from new, experiential learning opportunities that prepare them to succeed in high-growth sectors of the digital economy. Algonquin College is collaborating with the Information and Communications and Technology Council (ICTC) to support education-industry partnerships that will enhance opportunities for students in the digital economy as part of ICTC’s Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL) Digital Program. In joining forces, the two organizations will help students develop the skills needed to thrive in the digital workforce of today – and the digital workforce of tomorrow.
  • Read the full announcement here.

9. New Fireside Chat Series - Coming Soon

  • This August, ICTC’s Research & Policy team will release its first blog in its series Fireside Chat with an Expert. This series will feature interviews with experts on key topics like digital disruption, smart city development, transformative technologies and others. The first in this series is an interview with Smart City Challenge Winner Bridgewater Nova Scotia, detailing their approach to using technology for smart and sustainable energy conservation and the reduction of energy poverty in the community.

10. Upcoming Events:

  • September 3-5, 2019: Canada-UK International Symposium in Toronto

The objective of this Symposium is to enhance mutual understanding and knowledge of the immersive tech sectors in the UK and Canada, as well as to share intelligence and identify opportunities to enable future joint activates such as co-productions, R&D, foreign direct investments, routes to distribution and audiences, skills development and talent needs and more. ICTC’s President & CEO Namir Anani will be attending.

  • September 9 – 10, 2019: CAV19

Anchored in the nation’s capital and one of the world’s top tech hubs, CAV Canada is the must-attend event for any innovator, organization or community driving the safe development, commercialization and deployment of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). Peter Taillon, Holly Brown, and Maryna Ivus from our Research team will be in attendance.

  • September 19-20, 2019: Science, Trust & Democracy in the Digital Age

Can Artificial Intelligence help society gain robust insights in science and health when, at the same time, it appears to erode citizen’s trust in science-based decision making? How can scientists restore and maintain a dialogue with society? In partnership with the University of Ottawa and the Embassy of France in Canada, the RSC is organizing an international G7 Summit on Science, Trust and Democracy in the Digital Age on September 19 and 20, 2019 in Ottawa. ICTC’s President & CEO Namir Anani will be attending.

 

For further information or to be part of the digital transformational agenda in Canada, please contact Stephanie Wilson at s.wilson[at]ictc-ctic.ca.