Productivity Initiative Background Image

Canada's Productivity Initiative

Investment, Economic Growth & Long-Term Prosperity

OTTAWA - Tax, fiscal policy, competition
HALIFAX - Interprovincial trade, regulation
VANCOUVER - Infrastructure, transportation
MONTREAL - Talent, skills, immigration
SASKATOON - Agriculture, energy, minerals
TORONTO - Innovation, technology

Canada’s Productivity Initiative was launched in Fall 2024 at a national summit in Calgary to address the alarming decline in Canada’s already low economic productivity compared with the United States and other major trading partners. To build on the momentum, better understand the challenges, and develop solutions, the Summit has become a year-long undertaking, Canada’s Productivity Initiative.

The School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary is undertaking research on specific aspects of productivity and engaging with leading thinkers in business, government and academia across the country in 2025 to develop actionable and impactful recommendations for policymakers.

Publications:

Public Policy Forum: Free Atlantic: Unlocking Regional Growth June 2025

School of Public Policy: Sectoral Contributions to Labour Productivity Growth March 2025

School of Public Policy: Fuelling Growth: Expert Perspectives on Canada’s Productivity Challenges February 2025

School of Public Policy: What We Heard Report January 2025

School of Public Policy: What We Heard Report - Highlights January 2025

School of Public Policy: Productivity Growth in Canada: What is Going On? October 2024

School of Public Policy: Productivity and Labour Incomes May 2024

News:

Global News: Nova Scotia Making Gains in Cutting Internal Trade Restriction

Chronice News: Nova Scotia Leads the Way on Bringing Down Trade Barriers

CTV News Atlantic: University of Calgary Professors discusses Interprovincial Trade

Toronto Business Journal: Leading Experts Convene in Halifax for Economic Forum on Trade, Competition and Growth

Financial Post: Atlantic Canada bears brunt of interprovincial trade barriers but offers a path to change May 2025

Financial Post: Jack Mintz: Ontario’s election should be about productivity February 2025

Globe and Mail: Productivity, productivity: Why Canada keeps talking about it but sees no results October 2024

The Logic: Seizing the means of productivity October 2024

PostMedia: Varcoe: 'No-brainer' fixes to get things built in Canada, boost productivity October 2024

The Canadian Press: Canada has 'too many regulatory roadblocks and too much red tape' to fix productivity crisis: Alberta premier October 2024

Bloomberg/BNN Feds, provinces must work together to tackle productivity crisis: Alberta premier October 2024

Vancouver Session 2025

Deloitte Summit | June 23, 2025

A one-day working session with leading industry and public policy experts addressing issues with infrastructure and the transportation sector.

Learn More and Register Here

Montreal Session 2025

A one-day working session with leading industry and public policy experts addressing talent, skills and immigration. Event information coming soon.

Saskatoon Session 2025

A one-day working session with leading industry and public policy experts addressing issues for the resources sector, including energy, agriculture and minerals. Event information coming soon.

Toronto Session 2025

A one-day working session with leading industry and public policy experts addressing issues for the innovation and technology sectors. Event information coming soon.

Photo of the BMO event centre, Calgary downtown skyline in the background

Canada’s Productivity Summit

BMO Centre at Stampede Park, Calgary | October 16-17, 2024

Canada’s Productivity Summit hosted more than 700 delegates, including top economists and leaders from business, non-profits and governments from across Canada. Key issues addressed included tax and regulatory reform, interprovincial trade barriers, infrastructure development and labour markets.

Learn more