Insights with Don Mills and David Campbell- An Acadia Broadcasting Podcast

There is something going on in Newfoundland and Labrador.  The province's tech sector is booming.  Real GDP from the IT sector has more than doubled since 2018, IT employment is up 46%.  The number of tech firms is up more than 20 percent just since 2019.  The number of life sciences startups has more than doubled.  On a per capita basis, the province has surged from 9th in the country among the 10 provinces to 3rd for the level of Research and Development spending per capita.  Michelle Simms, the CEO of Genesis, the province's startup incubator, has a front row seat.  A decade ago, Genesis worked with eight startups in a year.  In 2023, the number is closer to 200.  Michelle joins Don and David to discuss the drivers of this impressive growth and the outlook for the future.  

Forestry Sector in Recovery Mode in Nova Scotia  The closure of Northern Pulp was a significant blow to the forestry sector in Nova Scotia creating a gap in demand for low grade fiber of 1.5 metric Tonnes. Despite this blow, the forestry industry still employs 6,000 workers in the province and generates $1.8 billion of economic activity and remains an important contributor to the economy in Nova Scotia. Our Insights Podcast this week features a wide-ranging conversation with Stephen Moore, the Executive Director of Forest Nova Scotia. One of those topics is the impact of the implementation of the Lahey Report on the industry which has a target of conserving 30 percent of forest lands in the province. As Moore points out, this conservation goal has the potential to increase the risk of forest fires in the province if those lands are not properly managed. In terms of conservation, the industry currently harvests about 2.5 million trees annually of the 600 million trees in the province. The goal of tripling housing means the demand for lumber will also triple in this region in the near future. This presents an unprecedented opportunity for the forestry industry to grow and expand while ensuring the long-term sustainability of this sector.Subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with future episodes.

Glenn Cooke discusses how Cooke Inc. has quietly become the largest privately owned seafood company in the world This episode of the Insights Podcast features an exclusive and rare interview with Glenn Cooke, the driving force behind New Brunswick based Cooke Inc., which through acquisitions around the world (14 major acquisitions since 2016 worth $2.5 billion) now has annual revenues of $4 billion and nearly 13,000 employees, of which 2,500 are within Atlantic Canada. With operations in 14 countries, Cooke is a fully integrated seafood company utilizing 800 vessels and 30 processing plants, as well as its own transportation, hatcheries and feed plants. And it all started in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick. Cooke uses a scientific based approach to fish farming and invests heavily in research and development efforts to improve production and environmental practices. It is clear that the regulatory environment within the region is holding back the expansion of the aquaculture sector in Atlantic Canada, especially with regard to the site approval process that can take years. The advent of offshore fish farming may help open up the industry in Canada.

Sean Fraser Outlines Federal Government's Housing Strategy This episode of the Insights Podcast features a live, in-person conversation with Sean Fraser, the Federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure & Communities that was held at the "Partners for Progress " Conference sponsored by the Nova Scotia Regional Enterprise Networks in New Glasgow. The Minister presented an excellent overview of the government's housing strategy, including the recently announced $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund, plus plans to address homeless and housing affordability. Fraser presented an articulate and clear understanding of the housing challenges Canada faces, including the need to construct housing differently to meet the needs of a growing population while defending the goal of continuing to grow the population. It is one of our best podcasts to date, especially for those interested in better understanding the housing crisis facing Canada. 

The decision to appoint someone outside the healthcare community to lead the NS Health Authority was met with considerable scepticism across the healthcare sector in Nova Scotia, yet that was exactly what the doctor ordered to introduce  a series of innovations that is set to transform healthcare, not just in Nova Scotia, but potentially across the country. Using pharmacists to treat and prescribe drugs was a first in Canada and is being adopted elsewhere already. Introducing urgent care centres to take the pressure off emergency rooms is another. Providing Nova Scotians with an app to access their own health records is another. Expanding access to more surgery time after hours and on the weekend is another.  This episode of the Insights Podcast features an in depth conversation with Karen Oldfield, the interim CEO of NS Health Authority who acknowledges that the province needs to do a better job informing Nova Scotians about the changes happening in healthcare and their impacts on the public, in particular the need to reset expectations regarding the access to primary care which will not longer be based on a sole practitioner family doctor model.

Atlantic Canada Can Become an Energy Superpower  A new report called "Catching the Wind" from the Public Policy Forum outlines how Atlantic Canada can become an energy superpower by harnessing offshore wind. On this episode of the Insights Podcast we talk with Peter Nicholson, the Chair of the Canadian Climate Institute and author of the report about the opportunity to harness the winds for environmental and economic benefit. Peter has had a distinguished career in both the private and public sectors and makes a compelling case that the region has a generational opportunity to be a net exporter of green energy to the rest of the country that will transform the economy of the region and generate the same kind of economic benefits for the region that Alberta has enjoyed form their oil and gas industry. He outlines the challenges associated with realizing this opportunity, including the substantial capital investment required. He also emphasizes that addressing climate change requires bold vision and audacity to seize the potential of offshore wind in particular.Subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of future podcasts.

On this week's podcast we talk to the CEO of one of Atlantic Canada's oldest family run companies, Crosby Foods.  Founded in the late 19th Century as an importer of molasses from the Carribean, Crosby's continues to be a family business serving national and international markets.  James Crosby talks to Don and David about the company's long history, the current challenges and how the company is building new business opportunities and addressing key challenges.  The future of food manufacturing is a key question for not only Atlantic Canada but the country as a whole.  Subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of future podcasts.  Next week’s guest will be Karen Oldfield, Interim CEO of Nova Scotia Health.

Medavie, A Company Changing Health Delivery In Canada Medavie is a company that few in this region would be familiar with, although a third of Atlantic Canadians are covered through benefit programs with Blue Cross which, along with Medavie Health Services, are offered by the company. Medavie's mission is to improve the well-being of Canadians. Our conversation with Medavie's CEO Bernard Lord (30th Premier of New Brunswick) provides an excellent overview of one the region's largest and most important head office companies. The company has nearly 9,000 employees of which more than 5,000 are in Atlantic Canada, which provide $400 million of wages within the region. Medavie is the company behind the management of MSI in Nova Scotia, as well as providing EMS ambulance services in six provinces, including the three Maritime Provinces where it operates more than 300 ambulances. Medavie is a not-for-profit company which reinvests its surpluses back into the company and the community through the Medavie Foundation. Lords talks about the company's continued growth opportunities and the role and benefits of private sector companies providing publicly funded healthcare services. Subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of future podcasts.  Next week’s guest will be Karen Oldfield, Interim CEO of the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

Wine Industry Growing in Size and Reputable in Nova Scotia This week's Insights Podcast features an in depth look at the growing wine industry in Nova Scotia which has become important both economically and from a tourism attraction perspective. We talk with Carl Sparkes, the CEO of Devonian Coastal Wineries, the owners of Jost Vineyards, Gaspereau Vineyards and Mercator Vineyards. Carl's background in food manufacturing provided a sound foundation for his transition into the wine industry. His company represents 50 percent of the wine industry in Nova Scotia and his wines have won many national and international awards, a testament to the growing reputation of the quality of wines being produced in Nova Scotia, especially the Tidal Bay varieties. Carl explains the challenges and opportunities related to growing the industry, especially with regard to the current regulatory environment and makes a strong case for the need to be able to sell wine and beer in grocery stores to help the industry grow in Nova Scotia. This podcast provides a great overview for anyone interested in learning more about this most interesting industry.

On this week's Insights podcast, Don and David speak with Andrew MacLean, the author of Backyard History, a podcast, blog and newspaper column covering interesting stories from across the Maritimes. Since much of Backyard History is about our past economy, MacLean is a great guest to tell the stories but also provide insights we can learn from today. There was the pre-Confederation campaign to attract immigrants to New Brunswick including a 94-page handbook used to pitch European migrants on the opportunities and benefits of moving here. They were told New Brunswick was an ideal place because of our high-quality education system (and because you put maple sap in your tea). MacLean tells the story of a deliberate campaign to bring high profile celebrities from the United States as a way to promote tourism. This along with stories of famous entrepreneurs and innovative industries of the past. Well worth an hour of your time. If you listen to the end, he tells Don and David what period of time he would consider to be the region's 'golden age'.