Our goals

We are working towards a bigger, bolder Canada:

  • 100 million people by 2100
  • A vibrant, expanding, inclusive and resilient economy
  • An ability to afford compassionate social programs and essential infrastructure
  • Global relevance and influence

We will achieve these goals by leading, enabling and partnering on initiatives that support long-term thinking and planning in five key focus areas: immigration; infrastructure and environment; economy, innovation and entrepreneurship, support for children and families; and education, skills and employment.

In addition to measuring Canada’s progress towards these outcomes through our National Scorecard, we are also measuring our own organizational impact. Please refer to our reports section for the most up-to-date reports.

Our focus areas

Each focus area links directly to successfully establishing a bigger and more diverse Canada with a strong economy and social infrastructure:

Immigration

Without immigration, Canada’s population will start to shrink in twenty years. As a result, it is not a question of whether, but how much immigration is appropriate. Canada already has a large number of immigrants, who are a source of economic strength and diversity. Our openness as a country is a competitive advantage, and it must remain that way for decades to come.

Facts
source

Historically, Canada has successfully supported very high levels of immigration. In 1913, 400,000 immigrants arrived in Canada, representing over 5.2% of the population at the time.

Source:

Statistics Canada. “An Aging Population.” Canada Yearbook, 2010

Newcomers to Canada are more than twice as likely to start and own their own businesses compared to those born in Canada.

Source:

BDC’s Index of New Entrepreneurial Activity, 2018

Source:

Canada has seen significant growth in the number of international students immigrating permanently. The number of new permanent residents who previously had international student status more than doubled from 29,180 to 58,515 between 2015 and 2019.

Source:

IRCC custom data, 2020

Infrastructure and environment

Vibrant cities are beacons for people and ideas. To ensure our cities are able to accommodate current population levels and are poised for growth, we must invest in affordable housing, effective public transportation, overall infrastructure, and expansion to the near and far North.

Attracting more people to our cities allows us to share the cost of key services such as hospitals, roads, libraries, and policing across a larger tax base. There is evidence that higher density cities have a greater flow of ideas and people, and a lower carbon footprint.

Facts
source

Canada is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Over 80% of Canadians live in cities.

Source:

World Bank, 2019

Quality infrastructure including systems (transportation, water, and communications) are vital to Canada’s economy and resilience in the face of climate change. Canada’s investment in infrastructure represented 3.9% of GDP in 2019. Experts have projected that more than 5% of GDP should be spent on infrastructure - to make up for past  underinvestment and declining infrastructure quality.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2020

Canada faces significant challenges with housing affordability. Between 2005 and 2019, Canada recorded one of the largest increases (over 80%) in housing prices in the OECD.

Source:

OECD, 2019

Economy, innovation and entrepreneurship

A thriving domestic market benefits everyone. By supporting greater investment and research, tapping into our under-represented talent, and helping companies to grow from start-ups to multinational entities, we contribute to Canada’s economic might.

Facts
source

Business spending on research and development is an indicator of the private sector's support for innovation. It has been on the decline in recent years in Canada compared to other OECD countries, measured at 0.79% of GDP in 2019 (21st out of 34 countries).

Source:

Century Initiative (2021). National Scorecard on Canada’s Growth and Prosperity, pg. 23

Low levels of productivity threaten our future growth and prosperity. Despite mild improvement made over the past 20 years, Canada still ranks 18th out of 36 OECD countries with GDP per hour worked of $52.58 USD in 2019.

Source:

OECD, 2020

Source:

Toronto added 66,900 tech jobs in 2015-2019, becoming the second largest job creator for tech talent in the US and  Canada after San Francisco, which created 88,840 tech jobs during the same period.

Source:

CCBRE, 2020

Source:

The number of high-growth firms in Canada increased from 11,140 in 2016 to 11,920 in 2018. However, this rate of increase is insufficient to meet federal targets to double the number of high growth firms in Canada, which are critical engines of job-creation for Canadians.

Source:

Statistics Canada (2020), Centre for Special Business Projects, Entrepreneurship Indicators Database.

Support for children and families

We want to support families in their choices to have children and to work productively. A revised family leave policy, a national daycare system, and quality education are critical to doing this well. This is especially important for new arrivals who may not have the same access to childcare options without a strong public system in place.

Facts
source

In 2020, the median cost of child care for infants ranged from $181 per month in cities in Quebec to $1866 in Toronto.

Source:

Macdonald & Friendly, 2021

Since the implementation of its child care program in 1996, Quebec’s employment rate for mothers with a child under the age of six has grown by 18.4 percentage points compared to 7.4 in the rest of Canada.

Source:

C.D. Howe Institute, 2021

Source:

Canada’s public spending on children and families was 1.7% of GDP in 2015, compared to the OECD average of 2.4%.  A robust system to support children and families is critical to encouraging well-being, economic growth, and sustainable population growth.

Source:

OECD, 2019

Education, skills and employment

People are our future, and we need to invest in them. Strong schools are the way to do this. They attract and develop high-potential, highly-motivated people, both domestic and international. Education is the key to social mobility for all Canadians.

Facts
source

More than half of university STEM degrees in Canada are held by immigrants.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2019

In 2018, government funding accounted for 45.8% of post-secondary institution revenue, down from 61% a decade ago.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2020

Statistics Canada,2011

Over the last 30 years, Canada has seen a decline in the percentage of its public spending on training, dropping from a high of 0.35% in 1991 to. 0.06% in 2018. Labour market-relevant training is important to ensuring Canada’s workforce has the skills needed, as the workforce ages and as technology changes.

Source:

OECD, 2020

Immigration

Without immigration, Canada’s population will start to shrink in twenty years. As a result, it is not a question of whether, but how much immigration is appropriate. Canada already has a large number of immigrants, who are a source of economic strength and diversity. Our openness as a country is a competitive advantage, and it must remain that way for decades to come.

Facts
source

Historically, Canada has successfully supported very high levels of immigration. In 1913, 400,000 immigrants arrived in Canada, representing over 5.2% of the population at the time.

Source:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Immigrants to Canada are more likely to start and own businesses than those born in Canada.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2016

Source:

Immigrants arrive in Canada in better health than their Canadian-born counterparts. This is evidenced by 10 years of better health outcomes – lower rates of diabetes, hypertension, and perinatal complications such as prematurity and low birth weights.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2011

Urban development & infrastructure

Vibrant cities are beacons for people and ideas. To ensure our cities are able to accommodate current population levels and are poised for growth, we must invest in affordable housing, effective public transportation, overall infrastructure, and expansion to the near and far North.

Attracting more people to our cities allows us to share the cost of key services such as hospitals, roads, libraries, and policing across a larger tax base. There is evidence that higher density cities have a greater flow of ideas and people, and a lower carbon footprint.

Facts
source

Canada is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Over 80% of Canadians live in cities.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2014

Canadian transit systems require $4.2 billion per year to repair and replace existing assets. This excludes meeting unmet or future demands of residents.

Source:

McKinsey Global Institute, 2013

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has estimated that congestion is costing the country $15 billion per year, equivalent to almost 1% of Canada’s GDP.

Source:

Canadian Infrastructure Report, 2016

Employment & entrepreneurship

A thriving domestic market benefits everyone. By supporting greater investment and research, tapping into our under-represented talent, and helping companies to grow from start-ups to multinational entities, we contribute to Canada’s economic might.

Facts
source

Canada’s expenditure on research and development is 1.69% of GDP, compared to the OECD average of 2.36%.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2014

The combined value of the technology cluster in Toronto, Kitchener, and Waterloo is $9.9 billion. It is $410.9 billion in the Silicon Valley.

Source:

McKinsey Global Institute, 2013

The number of new businesses in Canada has declined steadily over the last 10 years.

Source:

Canadian Infrastructure Report, 2016

Early childhood supports

We want to support families in their choices to have children and to work productively. A revised family leave policy, a national daycare system, and quality education are critical to doing this well. This is especially important for new arrivals who may not have the same access to childcare options without a strong public system in place.

Facts
source

76% of Canadian women participate in the labour force compared to an OECD average of 64%.

Source:

OECD, 2013

The increase in the percentage of working women has been responsible for 1/3 of Canadian economic growth over the past 50 years.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2016

The median cost of full-time child care across Canada ranges from a low of $152 per month in Quebec to a high of $677 in Ontario.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2014

The impact of $7-a-day child care in Quebec shows that women’s labour force participation is 8 to 12% higher than it would have otherwise been.

Source:

Fortin, Godbout & St-Cerny, 2012

Canada’s public spending on early childhood education is (between 0.2% and 0.34% of GDP) less than half the OECD average.

Source:

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2014

Education

People are our future, and we need to invest in them. Strong schools are the way to do this. They attract and develop high-potential, highly-motivated people, both domestic and international. Education is the key to social mobility for all Canadians.

Facts
source

Canadian scores in reading, mathematics, and science have been falling since 2003.

Source:

OECD, 2014

Half of Canadian STEM degrees are held by, people who were not born in Canada.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2011

Public funding for post-secondary education by the federal government accounts for an average of approximately 57% of university and college operating funding in Canada, down from 80% just 2 decades ago.

Source:

Statistics Canada, 2011

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