Woodlot winners Sustainable logging recognized by government. Page 7 Protester profile Jean McLaren teaches what she knows to others. Page 21 Classic concerts Pianist Sarah Hagen returns with popular series. Page 3
V.I. Raiders sit in top spot Page 28
Celebrating
1988
2013
Years
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013
VOL. 25, NO. 53
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Baby Boomers pose retirement challenge By TamaRa CunnIngham ThE NEwS BULLETiN
With a wave of baby boomers set to retire, Nanaimo officials are facing big questions about the future of staffing at city hall. B.C.’s baby boomers are set to exit the workforce over the next five years, contributing to an estimated shortfall of 160,000 workers by 2015. According to labour experts, the shift will create big challenges for organizations, from paying the costs of retirement to recruiting new employees. The City of Nanaimo isn’t immune. Thirty per cent of the city’s employees will be eligible to retire without pension penalties within the next half-decade, including half of the senior management team. In the parks, recreation and culture department alone, four staff members are anticipated to announce their exits within the next 18 months, preceded by the departure of the city’s senior manager of parks and civic facilities this fall. The wave of retirements has Nanaimo’s top city officials mulling next steps, including potential restructuring, succession planning and recruitment strategies. Terry Hartley, the city’s director of human resources and organizational planning, said there could be an opportunity to look at ways to do things better at city hall and reduce costs by leaving some positions vacant. But city officials will also have to consider how to retain employees in the wake of provincial labour shortages and deal with the retirement of long-term employees, who could take their knowledge and history of the organization with them. “[The Conference Board of Canada estimates] B.C. will have a labour shortage by 2015 of 160,000 skilled workers, so we know this is an issue,” said Hartley, adding she anticipates difficulties ahead. “What we do now is prepare for the retirements we know are going to happen.” Labour experts say baby boomers are larger than any other generation behind them, lending to potentially significant employment crunch issues for organizations stacked with the demographic. u See ‘PLANNING’ /4
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Laurel Sliskovic, co-owner of The Sociable Scientists, studies the outdoor amenities that a city has that contribute to the overall quality of life for its residents.
More to leisure than just a good book
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VIU gradUaTeS aiming to reshape the way people look at their free time. By TamaRa CunnIngham ThE NEwS BULLETiN
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eisure is more than relaxing at home with a good book or taking a vacation. It represents quality of life, from trail networks and wireless Internet to universal sidewalks and hip-hop classes, says a Vancouver Island duo looking to reshape the way people
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look at leisure. Erin Heeney and Laurel Sliskovic are the first graduates of Vancouver Island University’s masters in sustainable leisure program and the creators of The Sociable Scientists Inc. – a new business aiming to help communities consider the role leisure plays in keeping citizens healthy and engaged. According to the entrepreneurs, leisure is a big part of people’s quality of life, but it is often overlooked by organizations and municipalities looking to be more sustainable and competitive. Age-friendly sidewalks for skateboards and scooters and
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trail networks surrounded by shops and restaurants, for example, can rejuvenate neglected spaces and encourage more people to move around without cars, they say. The ‘scientists’ hope to bring creative new practices from around the globe to communities looking to bolster their offerings and help municipalities evaluate how they are doing on the leisure front. “[Sustainable leisure] really is a larger part of the conversation that often doesn’t get the same consideration as things like job creation,” said Sliskovic. u See ‘LEISURE’ /11
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