The Our Town - Clarenville Blog by Paul Tilley

  I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.  Wayne Gretzky In 1971, the provincial median age was 20.9 years, 5-3 years younger than the Canadian average. In 2021,  the provincial median age was 48.4 years, almost 7 years older than in Canadian average (41.6).  When coupled with a declining share of working-age adults (due to an aging population and outward migration), these challenges hamper the opportunity for economic growth in the Province, and in Clarenville. This past week,  Statistics Canada  published a new set of demographic data from the 2021 Census. Although not a lot of people get excited over statistical data, we should - at least - be aware of the potential impact these new numbers will have on the future of our Town.  I would like to focus on some of the potential opportunities and the inevitable challenges that these numbers are pointing towards - and of course, how I believe we can set Clarenville up to minimize the challenges and maximize the be