Lewis, Dupuy – We must not let nostalgia cloud our vision for Ontario’s economic future

Published in TVO. 

Despite bold promises and billions of dollars of support, Ontario manufacturing jobs remain around the same level as when Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives came to power. The province needs to move past the nostalgic view of the manufacturing sector and instead focus on an economy based on innovation and advanced technologies so it can thrive in an ever-changing global economy.

Manufacturing jobs hold a special place in Ontario’s economic, social, and political mindset because of the historical role the sector has played in driving growth, jobs, and prosperity. The sector has provided jobs across the province since the early days of industrialization in the 19th century, offering opportunities for…

DeLand, Gilmour – Federal government ‘fixes’ to overreach come up short

Published in the Financial Post 

One reason Canada’s per capita GDP has stalled and may continue to stagnate, putting Canadians’ living standards at risk, is that we struggle to build large projects cheaply and quickly.

The federal government has finally acknowledged there is too much uncertainty in getting major projects approved and has promised certain “fixes,” including recently enacted amendments to its controversial Impact Assessment Act (IAA), which its opponents tagged the “No more pipelines act.” Are those amendments on the right track and will they help get projects built? In our view, no. Instead, we need serious fixes to avoid further litigation and investment uncertainty.

The IAA amendments are a…

John Lester – Size shouldn’t matter for R&D business subsidies

Published in the Financial Post

After two rounds of consultations, Finance Canada is considering reforms to its scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) program. The review takes place against the backdrop of distressingly poor productivity performance and worries about the amount and effectiveness of R&D performed in Canada and the incentives for innovative startups to commercialize and scale-up their operations.

These concerns exist even though the federal government spent almost $11 billion last year to support innovation. Innovative firms get support to: hire skilled workers, perform R&D, commercialize inventions and scale-up their operations.

The program review should recognize where…

John Lester – Size shouldn’t matter for R&D business subsidies

Published in the Financial Post

After two rounds of consultations, Finance Canada is considering reforms to its scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) program. The review takes place against the backdrop of distressingly poor productivity performance and worries about the amount and effectiveness of R&D performed in Canada and the incentives for innovative startups to commercialize and scale-up their operations.

These concerns exist even though the federal government spent almost $11 billion last year to support innovation. Innovative firms get support to: hire skilled workers, perform R&D, commercialize inventions and scale-up their operations.

The program review should recognize where…

A.J. Goulding – Affordability, Practicality, and Reality: The Rocky Path to Net Zero

Dan Ciuriak – Industrial Policy Lessons from a Dairy Pot Calling Canada’s Kettle Black

Exner-Pirot, DeLand – Seeing energy policy only through the lens of climate change? That time is over

Published in the Globe and Mail

This country needs to have a serious conversation. One that recognizes the challenges posed by a warming world – not least an increase in wildfires, drought and heat waves that have affected almost every Canadian – and grapples with the challenge inherent in matching our climate policy ambitions with taxpayers’ appetite to pay for them, government capacity to implement them, and society’s ability to transform its energy use.

Other countries can only dream of Canada’s enormous reserves of natural resources, and our standard of living depends greatly on exports of minerals, coal, hydroelectricity and especially, oil and gas. As with most human actions, extracting and using these resources…

Tingting Zhang – Five Ways to Address our Family Physician Shortage

Miville Tremblay – Investir chez nous, pour le bien commun

Published in La Presse.

Faut-il que les grands fonds de retraite canadiens, un peu à la manière de la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, démontrent une plus grande préférence nationale dans leurs placements ?

Cette question brûlante est au cœur d’un débat dans le monde feutré du placement. La Caisse est le modèle qui inspire et fait peur avec son double mandat d’optimiser le rendement des déposants et de favoriser le développement économique du Québec.

En théorie, un investisseur parfaitement diversifié aurait une petite participation dans tous les actifs dans le monde. En pratique, ce n’est ni possible ni souhaitable, mais l’investisseur avisé répartit ses œufs dans un grand nombre de paniers.

Par…

Countdown to CUSMA with Lawrence Herman

From cows to cars, Canada is at risk of entering the trilateral review of CUSMA from a position of weakness unless Ottawa steps up and encourages the private sector to do the same. Veteran trade lawyer and C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow Lawrence Herman joins Michael Hainsworth to explain why he’s raising the alarm two years ahead of the talks.

Smart, Runge – Risk Aversion is Hampering our Industrial Offset Policy

Mary Catharine Lennon – Signaling Quality in Labour Market Training