Hamburger Menu Button
Link to Search Page
Collapse Expand Button
September 21 and 22
2 days, 2 disciplines, 2 ways to participate – defining our professional roles and uniting to build more equitable, accessible and inspired communities.
#2GETHER2022
Round Table
Municipalities have a role to play in promoting economic growth by ensuring they are “business investment ready” and “competitive.” In an increasingly complex macro-environment, municipalities need to position themselves to capitalize on the economic potential and opportunities that exist within the “new economy.” Recent structural changes experienced in the macro-economy over the past several decades are well documented. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant negative impact on short-term macro-economic growth. Despite the near-term challenges, long-term economic growth is expected to remain positive. Based on near-term trends observed, COVID-19 has also accelerated previously noted technological disruptors, including e-commerce, the gig economy, remote working, and automation. These trends are anticipated to fuel further change in the industrial, office, and retail sectors and impact non-residential space needs. This presentation explores key industry and labour force trends expected to influence industrial, office, and retail development patterns in Ontario over the coming decades, and the implications this will have on planning for growth. Key themes to be addressed include: e-commerce as a major disruptor for retail and logistics, potential impacts of technology on commercial services, trends in manufacturing, automation and artificial intelligence, and trends in work-at-home and “no fixed place of work” employment.