Description: In the recommendations of the following report from the Martin Prosperity Institute, researchers identify that early childhood education should be made a high priority in order to ensure that Ontario’s economy and people remain globally competitive and prosperous. Excerpts from media release: … The report is presented in response to the request made last March by Premier Dalton McGuinty to Roger Martin and Richard Florida. Together with their research team, these two undertook a study of the changing composition of Ontario’s economy and workforce and have provided recommendations to the Province on how to ensure our economy and people remain globally competitive and prosperous. Roger Martin is the Dean of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and Richard Florida is the Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School. … The trends highlighted in the report include the transformation in how people work in our economy. We are moving to an economy that values people’s creativity, especially analytical and social intelligence skills. These skills demand reasoning in uncertain environments to make good decisions and capabilities to understand other people and to work in team settings. … The province is also becoming more urbanized. According to Florida, “the concentration of people and firms in city regions drives productivity, innovation and prosperity, as the great Jane Jacobs long ago noted. A handful of cities – from London through Kitchener-Waterloo through Toronto and Ottawa together comprise one of the world’s largest economic mega-regions that helps make Ontario one of the most advanced and productive jurisdictions on earth.” Martin and Florida conclude that Ontario has significant advantage on which to build broad, sustainable prosperity. The province has a highly skilled workforce, world leading businesses and industries, excellent post secondary institutions, great cities and regions, and a culture that values openness, diversity, and social cohesion. Yet, they found that Ontario faces some challenges in strengthening its capabilities for competing in the creative age. … In the report they recommend actions by Ontarians in four strategic areas. These are: Harness the creative potential of Ontarians • Increase creativity in all jobs • Be the world’s first jurisdiction where creativity-oriented occupations account for half of all jobs • Strengthen creativity skills through our education system • Market Ontario as the creative province • Make diversity a cornerstone of economic prosperity Broaden our talent base • Make Ontario the talent province • Strengthen our managerial capability Establish new social safety nets • Make early childhood development a high priority • Invest in skills development for recent immigrants • Consider wage insurance for longer tenure workers Build province-wide geographic advantage • Make the mega-region as strong as it can be • Invest in connectivity