Daniel Schwanen

Daniel Schwanen is Senior Vice-President of the C.D. Howe Institute. An award-winning economist with a passion for international economic policy, he leads the Institute's trade and international policy program. In his role as Senior Vice-President, he ensures the coordination and success of the C.D. Howe Institute’s research, research development, communications, and external engagement programs.

Having earned degrees in economics from the Université de Montréal and Queen’s University, Daniel began his career in the financial services industry, becoming International Economist at the CIBC in 1986. He first joined the C.D. Howe Institute in 1990, producing widely-cited research on international trade, Canada’s economic union, climate change policy, and the economics of cultural policy. His work in the 1990s earned him foreign visitorships in the United States, Japan and Australia.

After joining the Institute for Research on Public Policy in 2001, Daniel earned the Policy Research Initiative’s Outstanding Research Contribution Award for his paper “A Room of Our Own: Cultural Policies and Trade Agreements,” and produced, with co-editors Thomas Courchene and Donald Savoie, a major series of papers on North America after NAFTA. In 2007, he co-wrote the independent review of Australia’s Progress to Achieve APEC Goals, presenting the report at APEC’s Senior Officials meeting as part of APEC’s peer review process.

Daniel joined the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) in Waterloo, Ontario in 2005, serving in a number of senior research and executive positions. Most recently, his work there focused on the G20 and international economic policy coordination.

Daniel returned to the C.D. Howe Institute in March 2011 as Associate Vice President, Trade and International Policy. He was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Research in January 2013, and from June 2014 to 2024, he held the position of Vice President, Research.