In July, we asked whether Saskatchewan has true economic ecosystems—or whether we are still building them. The answer, in many regions, is both. This month, we take the next step:
What is the role of industry in these ecosystems—and are we fully leveraging it?
Because ecosystems do not grow on strategy alone.
They grow where industry shows up not just as an employer, but as a partner.
Moving Beyond the Traditional Role of Industry
In many Saskatchewan communities, industry has historically played a familiar role:
- Job creator
- Tax base contributor
- Project sponsor
- Occasional community supporter
These contributions matter—but they are not enough to sustain a modern regional ecosystem.
In strong ecosystems, industry takes on a more intentional role:
- Co-designer of regional priorities
- Investor in workforce and supply chain development
- Champion of local innovation and entrepreneurship
- Connector to global markets and opportunities
The difference is subtle—but transformational.
Why Industry Matters More Than Ever
Three forces are reshaping regional economies—and elevating the role of industry:
1. Labour Market Pressures
With tightening labour markets across Saskatchewan, individual organizations can no longer “compete their way out” of workforce shortages.
Industry must collaborate to grow the talent pool, not just compete within it:
- Shared training approaches
- Coordinated attraction strategies
- Early engagement with education systems
2. Supply Chain Localization and Resilience
Global disruptions have reinforced the value of strong regional supply chains.
Industry plays a key role in:
- Identifying local procurement opportunities
- Supporting supplier development
- Reducing dependency on external inputs
3. Innovation and Diversification Imperatives
Economic diversification is not driven by policy—it is driven by market opportunity.
Industry brings:
- Market insight
- Investment capital
- Real-world application for innovation
Without industry at the table, ecosystems risk becoming over-planned and under-connected to opportunity.
What Strong Industry Engagement Looks Like
In emerging ecosystems, we see industry moving into four key roles:
1. Talent Builders—not just Talent Consumers
- Partnering with post-secondary institutions
- Supporting internships, apprenticeships, and mentorships
- Co-designing skills pathways aligned with future needs
This is especially critical in rural and northern Saskatchewan, where labour attraction requires collective effort.
2. Supply Chain Anchors
- Identifying opportunities to source locally
- Supporting small- and medium-sized business development
- Acting as early customers for emerging firms
When industry anchors local supply chains, regional wealth retention increases.
3. Innovation Partners
- Collaborating with entrepreneurs and startups
- Participating in pilot projects and demonstrations
- Supporting commercialization pathways
Ecosystems thrive when ideas have a clear path to market—and industry often provides that bridge.
4. Place-Based Champions
- Investing in community vitality (housing, recreation, services)
- Supporting regional branding and attraction efforts
- Advocating for infrastructure and enabling policies
This is where economic development and community development fully intersect.
Where Saskatchewan Has Opportunity
Across the province, there are strong examples of industry engagement—but they are often:
- Project-based rather than sustained
- Organization-specific rather than regional
- Reactive rather than strategic
The opportunity is to move toward structured, ongoing industry participation in regional ecosystems.
This could look like:
- Industry advisory tables embedded in regional partnerships
- Co-investment models for workforce and innovation initiatives
- Shared data and intelligence to guide decision-making
- Formal roles for industry in economic ecosystem governance
Tyler Thorn, President of the industry based Community Builders Alliance in Moosomin, points out, “An organization like the CBA can bring some of the skills and experience necessary to help form and build collaborations among local governments and the private sector.”
Challenges to Address
To fully realize this shift, several barriers must be acknowledged:
- Capacity constraints within industry to engage beyond core operations
- Misalignment of timelines (business vs. community processes)
- Lack of clear entry points for meaningful participation
- Uncertainty around value and return on engagement
These are not reasons to step back—they are signals that we need to design engagement more intentionally.
What This Means for Communities
For those working in economic and community development, this evolution requires a mindset shift:
From:
- Inviting industry to events
To:
- Engaging industry as co-creators of solutions
Practical steps include:
- Framing initiatives in terms of business value and outcomes
- Creating structured roles for industry participation
- Reducing friction in engagement (clear asks, defined timelines)
- Celebrating and showcasing industry leadership
A Call to Action
If economic ecosystems are the goal, then industry must be at the core—not the edge.
The question for regions across Saskatchewan is not:
“How do we attract more industry?”
But rather:
“How do we engage the industry we already have as partners in building what comes next?”
Because the strongest ecosystems are not built for industry.
They are built with it.