As a keynote speaker at the Recovery Road Summit hosted by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton, Frank McKenna, the Deputy Chair of TD Bank was posed various questions on the province’s economic state.
Perhaps the question that generated the most emphatic response from the former premier was regarding working from home.
When asked if the increase in remote work could benefit New Brunswick, McKenna described the situation as “Such a stunningly good idea I wish I could have thought of it.”
McKenna seemed enamoured with the idea the pandemic could actually solve a problem past legislature had not been able to.
COVID-19 has proved to many employers that it is not necessary to have employees physically present and given the economic impacts it might not be financially smart.
If people continue to work at home past the pandemic where your work will be less of a factor in where you live.
McKenna believes that the province should promote an enviable quality of life and a low cost of living to increase the number of producers and consumers across New Brunswick.
He says now is a good opportunity for Atlantic Canada to promote itself as a haven.
The former leader of New Brunswick’s Liberal Party says to successfully lure people from their current homes the government will have to prioritize immigration, digitalization and internet connectivity.
He referenced two of the country’s largest cities by population, Toronto and Vancouver saying they’re not smarter they have just done a better job retaining people.
While the Maritimes has yet to see a city with the stature of a Toronto or Vancouver, some areas have still received national recognition.
Dieppe was recently named the top work from home community in Canada by PCMag.
