September 4, 2025 – The US tariff threat has exposed the fragility of Canada’s economic model, built on deep reliance on its southern neighbour. But tariffs are only the latest shock. Woeful productivity growth, high public debt, and a tax system that discourages growth have been weighing on the Canadian economy for years, according to […]
From: Tasnim FarihaTo: Housing watchersDate: August 14, 2025Re: Ottawa’s Bold Prefab Housing Bet Needs System Reform to Deliver Prime Minister Mark Carney has wasted no time signaling that innovation will be central to his approach to solving Canada’s housing crisis. His government’s early commitment to modular and prefabricated housing – including the launch of the […]
Innovation fuels economic growth and underpins productivity, but Canadian businesses are less innovative than five years ago. Although small businesses are less likely to be innovative, larger businesses have seen bigger declines in innovation activity. Declines across all types of innovation for all business sizes is a very troubling trend. For more, see Unleashing Innovation: […]
From: Harvey NaglieTo: Banking observersDate: July 29, 2025Re: Canada Can’t Afford to Wait for Open Banking Canada is at risk of becoming the last G7 nation to implement open banking. The federal government has announced a launch target of early 2026. While this commitment is welcome, the timeline is far too slow – and the […]
Canadian firms that actively work to tackle innovation barriers, such as financial constraints or skills shortages, are significantly more likely to innovate than those that don’t act. Catherine Beaudry shows where the biggest gains come from for Canadian businesses.
July 24, 2025 – Canadian firms that actively work to tackle innovation barriers, such as financial constraints or skills shortages, are significantly more likely to innovate than those that don’t act, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Unleashing Innovation: Barriers, Government Support Programs, and What Works Best,” Catherine Beaudry shows […]
24 juillet 2025 – Selon un nouveau rapport de l’Institut C.D. Howe, les entreprises canadiennes qui s’efforcent activement de surmonter les obstacles à l’innovation, tels que les contraintes financières ou le manque de compétences, sont beaucoup plus susceptibles d’innover que celles qui n’agissent pas. Dans « Unleashing Innovation: Barriers, Government Support Programs, and What Works Best », […]
US manufacturing productivity growth has been dismal since the “Great Recession” of 2007-09, with the reasons why a mystery. During that time, growth in Canada’s manufacturing productivity has been on the rise, easily outpacing that of the United States. That’s the good news. However, the gap measured over a longer period remains and we will have to do better to attract manufacturing investments […]
Using a qualitative survey and interviews with front-line workers and decision-makers, we share insights about the most important drivers of and obstacles to innovation in Canadian hospitals.
April 4, 2025 – Canada is facing threats to its economic security and territorial integrity from the US. Responding to these threats is job one, but Canada’s next government must not lose sight of the need to strengthen its economy, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “An Economic Strategy for […]
Canada is facing threats, and responding to them is job one. But our next government must not lose sight of the longer-term need to reduce our dependence on the US, raise our prosperity, to defend our sovereignty, and put Canada’s debt on a sustainable path.
From: Catherine BeaudryTo: Concerned Canadians Date: April 3, 2025Re: Let’s Not Let This Crisis Go to Waste Faced with people who constantly threaten others, my father used to say: bien faire et laisser braire, which literally translates as “do a good job and let them bray.” Wartime Britain’s “keep calm and carry on,” now so popular, is another version. […]
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