We Are Signal49 Research
After decades operating as The Conference Board of Canada, we have a new name. We are now Signal49 Research, effective January 26, 2026. This moment represents a defining milestone in our evolution, one that reflects who we are today and where we are headed.
Major City Insights
How are ongoing trade tensions, persistent housing unaffordability, and stalled population growth hitting cities across Canada? Despite these headwinds, what are the bright spots supporting growth in local economies? We share our urban economic outlook, including local GDP, employment, and population growth.
AI on the Horizon: December 11, 2025
In the last decade, buzzwords like the metaverse, digital transformation, and crypto have echoed from the rooftops of tech firms. In the last couple of years, AI has gone from buzzword to the backbone of markets, government funding, and venture capital.
Featured Insights
Employment Stays Resilient, but Losing Steam
Canadian Economics January 9, 2026
December’s flat employment reading caps a year in which Canada’s labour market proved more resilient than anticipated. However, rising unemployment, persistent trade tensions, and a slowing inflow of workers suggest that this resilience will be increasingly tested in the coming year.
Quick take • 2-min read
Maxime Arseneau
Trade Surplus with the U.S. Narrows Significantly in October
Canadian Economics January 8, 2026
Near term trade pressures have not yet fully abated. Nominal exports rebounded modestly by 2.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2025, following a sharp 12.7 per cent contraction in the second quarter. While recent monthly gains suggest some resilience in the face of U.S. tariff pressures, export volumes declined this month.
Quick take • 3-min read
David Ristovski
Canada’s Inflation Rate Remained Steady in November
Canadian Economics December 15, 2025
Canada’s CPI grew by 2.2 per cent in November, comfortably near the Bank of Canada’s 2.0 per cent target. Given their weight in the CPI, upward pressures stemmed in part from some shelter-related costs. Rent, for example, grew by 4.7 per cent (year-over-year), though this was down from a 5.2 per cent increase in October.
Quick take • 2-min read
Kiefer Van Mulligen
Featured Publications
Recent Releases
People experiencing disability are often reluctant to disclose or seek support in the workplace. This…
This report contains a review of and outlook for tourism activity in New Brunswick. It…
This report contains a review of and outlook for tourism activity in Alberta. It examines…
This report contains a review of and outlook for tourism activity in British Columbia. It…
Canadians’ Inflation Expectations provides and analyzes the results of a monthly survey that collects the…
This quarterly economic forecast provides highlights of the Canadian Outlook report, which presents the short-term…
Our Impact
We aim to get our research into the hands of decision-makers—be they in government, business, or civil society—so that they can act on the best evidence and research in Canada. Learn more about our impacts from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.
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