New Brunswick will increase the number of non-government employees in the province from 245,600 to 300,000 by 2028.
OVERVIEW
Problem
The number of New Brunswickers employed in the non-government sector was increasing rapidly until 2008; however, the amount has been declining ever since. As a result, the most current count (245,600 people in 2017) is slightly less than the pre-recession amount in 2007 (262,100 people). While the decrease in non-government employment has lowered the amount of total employment in New Brunswick, employment in the government sector has shown an overall increasing trend from 1976 onward, despite the effects of the 2008 recession.
Cause
Since 1976, non-government employment rates in Canada kept increasing, reaching an all-time high of 262,100 employees in 2017. However, the sudden decline in the world economy (termed the great recession) resulted in widespread unemployment impacting several Canadians.
Importance
Employment in New Brunswick can be divided into two categories: the government sector and the non-government sector. Overall, most government jobs are service-based, with a focus on the development of society as a whole, whereas most non-government jobs are profit-driven. While government sector employees offer valuable services to the population in terms of education, health care, social assistance, and public administration; the non-government sector has a much more direct impact on the province’s GDP through the manufacturing and service industries, as well as export and trade. This makes non-government employment extremely important to New Brunswick.
Recommendation
If New Brunswick increases non-government employment in the province, the economy is likely to improve. Non-government employment can be improved through providing avenues for entrepreneurship and investment by reducing risk and vulnerability. Another method is by increasing productivity through competition and innovation.
