How Canada Performs
As a global leader, Canada has a hard-earned reputation for economic success and progressive social policies. However, this position is not guaranteed. Canada is facing a rapidly evolving global order and a series of wicked problems that challenge its future prosperity and opportunities.
As a result of the challenges we face, Canada is now ranked dead last in the OECD for long-term per capita economic growth.
This represents more than $500 billion in lost economic potential and means fewer resources to address societal priorities, declining global influence, and a reduced quality of life relative to our peers. The Conference Board of Canada seeks to isolate the causes of this underperformance and identify solutions that will allow Canada to achieve its true potential.
How Canada Performs: Canada has a Productivity Problem
The decline in Canada’s productivity growth is accelerating, ranking Canada dead last in the OECD for long-term per capita economic growth. Find out what can happen if Canada raises its productivity growth to be competitive with other countries.
The Conference Board of Canada is currently working to produce the next iteration of How Canada Performs.
Challenges in Canada
To understand Canada’s ability to ensure and sustain a prosperous future, The Conference Board of Canada is assessing Canada’s performance, relative to peer countries, in eight categories:
Economy
The Canadian economy is expected to underperform in the coming years. How can we best achieve our true potential?
Education & Skills
The skills requirements of the labour force are rapidly changing. How do we best prepare our workforce?
Health
Spending on healthcare now accounts for a record high share of provincial budgets. How can we ensure Canada’s health and care ecosystem is centred on patient outcomes?
Human Capital
The nature of work is changing. What will the future of work look like?
Immigration
Immigrants account for a record share of our population. How do we improve their economic outcomes to the benefit of both immigrants and Canada?
Indigenous
Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is imperative. How can we work together to bridge socio-economic disparities and create a mutually prosperous future?
Innovation
We are a nation of few global champions. How do we scale Canadian businesses?
Sustainability
Canada has committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. How do we achieve sustainable consumption?
What is How Canada Performs?
How Canada Performs provides a unique country comparison in report-card format to rank Canada’s national and provincial performance across these eight categories, using widely recognized indicators that can be influenced by organizational choices. Each category includes a narrative about the socio-economic environment that impact the rankings, along with practical solutions that leaders can implement to improve and sustain performance over time.
Through How Canada Performs, The Conference Board of Canada will help leaders and policy-makers address current issues in Canada that hinder its future prosperity.
Research
Economy Report Card
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How is the Canadian Economy Doing?
Achieving meaningful improvement to Canadians’ quality of life can only happen if the country’s economic fundamentals are strong and sustainable. Canada’s long-term economic prospects are weak, which means lost economic potential. The economy report card analyzes the underlying factors affecting long-term growth.
January 29, 2025
Forthcoming
Innovation Report Card
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Benchmarking Canada’s Innovation Performance
Innovation is one of the most important drivers of economic growth in advanced economies. Canada’s poor innovation performance is at an all-time low, and the world is taking notice. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicts Canada will be the worst performing member country over the next four decades as measured by real GDP per capita.
April 11, 2024
Forthcoming
Education & Skills Report Card
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Health Report Card
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Human Capital Report Card
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Immigration Report Card
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Indigenous Report Card
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Sustainability Report Card
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Centre for Canadian Growth and Prosperity
Canada is at an existential moment.
For decades, we have witnessed declining productivity. We have seen our competitiveness and influence on the global stage steadily diminish. But with the introduction of tariffs and a trade war, and a shifting global order, Canada has an unprecedented opportunity to reverse this trajectory.
Questions?
Call 1-888-801-8818 or send a message (Mon–Fri: 8 am to 5 pm).