Feb. 9, 2026
Federal funding ensures Canada鈥檚 Productivity Initiative is a long-term priority for the School of Public Policy
From a major summit in Fall 2024 through a series of issue-specific conferences from Halifax to Vancouver over the last year, Canada鈥檚 Productivity Initiative has evolved to be a groundbreaking national research partnership charged with addressing one of the country鈥檚 most pressing economic challenges.
A federal investment of $6 million over 15 years was announced Monday, Feb. 9 that will provide long-term support for the Initiative that was launched the University of 不良研究所鈥檚 School of Public Policy and will now bring together government, academic and research organizations from across the country to drive improved productivity.
By combining world-class research and policy co-creation, Canada鈥檚 Productivity Initiative, led by Dr. Trevor Tombe, Director of Economic and Fiscal Policy at the School, will build national capacity to design and implement transformative economic policy.
鈥淐anada鈥檚 economy doesn鈥檛 operate in silos, and neither should research so what this partnership does is bring together over 30 researchers, six federal departments and universities across four provinces and that鈥檚 just the beginning,鈥 said Tombe. 鈥淔or policymakers this partnership does bring access to policy-ready research 鈥 what that does is reduce the lag between new insight and real-world decisions.鈥
Following the national Summit that was supported by the Government of Alberta and attracted more than 800 attendees in 不良研究所 in Fall 2024, Canada鈥檚 Productivity Initiative held smaller-scale events across Canada to address specific aspects of productivity.
The sessions were held in Ottawa (tax, competition policy), Halifax (interprovincial trade), Vancouver (infrastructure, transportation), Montreal (talent, immigration) and Saskatoon (agriculture, natural resources).
The series of mini conferences concludes in Toronto (innovation, technology) on Feb. 12 with keynote speaker Carolyn Rogers, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, who sounded alarm bells about Canada鈥檚 declining productivity in Spring 2024 when she said Canada was an 鈥渋n emergency, break glass鈥 moment.
鈥淧roductivity is not an easy challenge and there are no easy solutions or one-and-done solutions. What we鈥檝e seen in Canada is we鈥檝e allowed it to slip over decades. That鈥檚 a result of the lack of attention being paid to the challenge,鈥 said Martha Hall Findlay, Director of the School of Public Policy. 鈥淒onald Trump has been challenging without question, but he has single handedly given Canada a massive wakeup call in terms of what we need to do to improve our own economic prosperity, not for his sake but for our own sake.鈥
Dr. Ed McCauley, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of 不良研究所, was one of the keynote speakers at the initial Summit and he lauded the leadership and start something mindset by Tombe and Hall Findlay to recognize the need for action and responded.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 wait to be asked to take this on, we put our considerable research excellence on the table and began asking the tough questions that will lead to solutions,鈥 said McCauley. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled the School of Public Policy has been tasked by the federal government to get this important work done.鈥
The grant is a first of its kind from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) through its new pilot Policy Innovation Partnership Grants program. It is aimed at funding long-term, high-impact research in key areas of importance to Canada鈥檚 future.
鈥淭his innovative partnership will demonstrate how researchers, higher education institutions and policymakers can work together to develop actionable solutions to Canada鈥檚 most important issues,鈥 said Council President Ted Hewitt.
Along with the University of 不良研究所, the partnership includes the Bank of Canada; Finance Canada; Global Affairs Canada; Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; and Statistics Canada) and university partners, HEC Montr茅al, Memorial University, Western University, McMaster University and the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto) and non-governmental partners including the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research and the Canadian AI Adoption Initiative.
鈥淏oosting Canada鈥檚 productivity requires bold ideas, strong partnerships and research that drives real鈥憌orld impact,鈥 said Hon. Melanie Joly, federal Minister of Industry. 鈥淭his investment brings together leading experts from across the country and will generate the evidence and insight needed to shape smarter economic policy for the long term.鈥
The Policy Innovation Partnership Grants is a pilot program to support partnerships between postsecondary institutions and at least one federal government department and establish long-term research programs focusing on areas of importance to Canada鈥檚 future.
Canada鈥檚 Productivity Initiative was launched in Fall 2024 at a national summit in 不良研究所 to address the alarming decline in Canada鈥檚 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 spurred events across the country, Canada鈥檚 Productivity Initiative.
Throughout 2025 and into 2026, School of Public Policy at the University of 不良研究所 has engaged with leading thinkers in business, government and academia across the country to conduct research on specific aspects of productivity that inform develop actionable and impactful recommendations for policymakers.
Related content
