News Room

As new COVID-19 cases dropped, consumer confidence picked up. The improvement in October’s Consumer Confidence Index mainly reflects the uptick in consumers’ confidence in future employment, as more job openings are expected following the economic reopening.

Quick Take  |  1-min read
October 18, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

A recovering global economy means more demand for Canadian manufacturing products. Sustained growth in primary metal manufacturing (used as an input in construction and many manufacturing subsectors) is indicative of the global recovery underway. Demand for raw and intermediate materials has shot up, driving prices higher.

Quick Take  |  2-min read
October 14, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

September marks the end of the third quarter, during which the labour market added almost 350,000 jobs. A direct result of the reopening of the economy, these gains represent a significant step forward for the labour market. With employment now past its pre-pandemic level, we expect job growth to moderate over the coming months as the economy continues to absorb spare capacity.

Quick take  |  2-min read
October 8, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

We lead the world in the generation of solid waste per capita. Plastic waste pollution is one of the seminal environmental issues of our time. On this front, our performance has been poor. Only a quarter of plastic waste is collected, with just nine per cent being recycled. The “take-make-waste” paradigm of our linear plastics economy is unsustainable. A reset is overdue.

Op-ed  |  4-min read
September 27, 2021
Focus Area—Sustainability

Canadians have been enjoying the return of some simple pleasures over the last few months. As the vaccination rate has increased, people have been heading out to patios, booking vacations, and engaging in social activities. This is good news. But every rose has its thorn. Provincial and territorial reopenings have also brought with them a spike in prices.

Op-ed  |  4-min read
September 21, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s inaugural budget is intended to transform the economy by favouring vaccine rollouts and economic recovery in the near term and focusing on the labour force, green technology, and education over the long-term. While good intentioned, the fiscal roadmap outlined by the Liberal government will come at a cost to Canadians.

Op-ed  |  4-min read
April 20, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

Can policy makers really have an impact on the economy, create jobs and even lift economic growth, or rather, should they just stay out of the kitchen? That’s a question I used to ask myself. After all, I started studying economics in the late 1980s when much of the thinking in academia was that Keynesian economics had gone too far. Governments were far too involved in the economy, taxing too much, spending too much, and many putting in place one boondoggle policy after another.

Commentary  |  3-min read
September 20, 2021
Focus Area—Canadian Economics

Over half a million Canadians live with dementia. This number is expected to nearly double by 2033. Dementia refers to a group of symptoms associated with a progressive decline in cognitive function characterized by memory loss, difficulties with thinking, behavior, language, and ability to perform everyday activities. Unpaid, informal caregivers, typically family, friends, and neighbours play a vital role in the lives of people with dementia while helping them reside safely at home and in their communities.

Commentary  |  4-min read
March 31, 2021
Focus Area—Health

The Conference Board of Canada is examining colorectal cancer care (CRC) pathways in Ontario and Quebec to understand how to align provincial guidelines, existing pathways for patient care, and a value-based model of healthcare for these patients. Patient care pathways are multidisciplinary stepped-care plans founded on evidence-based clinical guidelines and expert consensus.

Commentary  |  4-min read
December 16, 2020
Focus Area—Health