A community panel on occupations to consider economic opportunities outside major urban centres: Occupations in thunder Bay, Canada

Abstract

The 4th Canadian Occupational Science Symposium included a new feature – a community panel on economic occupational opportunities outside major urban centres. The panel connected symposium participants with the local community to generate a dialogue on the broad concepts of occupation and place relevant to employment transitions in Northern Ontario. Presentations on occupational patterns in Northern Ontario, and on what counts as occupation provided a backdrop to the dialogue. Small groups were invited to reflect on their daily and weekly occupations, possibilities for economic development, current approaches to economic occupational transitions, and possible research areas and partners to examine occupational transitions in the region. This paper summarizes the event, the two presentations, and key discussion points. It ends with a discussion of the benefits of involving the community at occupational science symposia and recommendations for panels with community involvement.