Local Governance, Creativity and Regional Development in Newfoundland and Labrador: Lessons for Policy and Practice from Two Projects

• Main Author: Hall, Heather
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: The Harris Centre 2010
• Subjects: Newfoundland; Canada; Sheila; Reimer; Creighton
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/169/; https://research.library.mun.ca/169/1/local_governance_creativity.pdf; https://research.library.mun.ca/169/7/local_governance_creativity.pdf; https://www.mun.ca/harriscentre/media/production/memorial/administrative/the-harris-centre/media-library/reports/research/2010/CelticRendezvousJune2010.pdf

This report is based on findings from two significant research projects presented at the Celtic Rendezvous Workshop from June 10-12th, 2010. The first project, Rural-Urban Interaction in Newfoundland and Labrador: Understanding and Managing Functional Regions considers regional labour market development, governance and the need for planning to be based on ‘functional’ rather than simply ‘administrative’ regions. The second project, the Innovation Systems Research Network (ISRN), is part of a $2.5 million Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada – Major Collaborative Research Initiative (SSHRC – MCRI) exploring the social dynamics of economic performance in fifteen city regions across Canada. This research, led nationally by David Wolfe at the University of Toronto, has three major themes: (1) the social dynamics of innovation; (2) talent attraction and retention; (3) and governance and inclusion. Day One of the workshop included presentations on the Functional Regions Project by Alvin Simms and Kelly Vodden and presentations on the ISRN Project by Greg Spencer, Anne-Marie Vaughan, Rob Greenwood, Ken Carter and Damian Creighton, with time set aside for lively debates and discussions. The following day started with a panel discussion on the insights and lessons from day one, including Bruce Gilbert, Sheila Downer, Kevin Morgan, and Susan Drodge. This was followed by break-out groups examining the key lessons from this research for policy and practice in Newfoundland and Labrador from the perspective of industry, municipal government, the federal and provincial governments, and NGOs. The workshop concluded with a five-member panel discussion on the implications of these findings involving Bill Reimer, Craig Pollett, Richard Shearmur, Lisa Browne and Kevin Morgan.