In each episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained, experts from the Business Data Lab will share straightforward analysis on the trends that are shaping Canada’s economic and business landscapes, from trade to inflation to productivity.
Meet Your HostMarwa Abdou, Senior Research Director, BDL |
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Canada’s population is retiring earlier and living longer. Even so, the age 65 retirement threshold, inherited from 19th-century Prussia, continues to anchor public policy and social expectations. In this episode, Professor Kevin Milligan (Professor of Economics, University of British Columbia) joins host Marwa Abdou to breakdown how this outdated convention often fails to account for disparities in health and life expectancy across income levels and regions, and how it can unintentionally push the most vulnerable seniors into poverty. In addition, the conversation explores the demographic changes that are at odds with the short-term focus of political planning cycles (which rarely extend beyond five years), and how policies need reform so that Canadians can not only survive in retirement but truly thrive.
Resources:
Kevin Milligan, University of British Columbia, Vancouver School of Economics
Kevin Milligan, C.D. Howe Institute
Kevin Milligan, Globe and Mail
The time of your life: The mortality and longevity of Canadians
Retirement incentives and decisions across the income distribution: Evidence in Canada
Health and Capacity to Work of Older Canadians: Gender and Regional Dimensions with Tammy Schirle
The Evolution of Longevity: Evidence from Canada,” with Tammy Schirle
Guest:
Kevin Milligan, Professor of Economics, UBC Vancouver School of Economics
Do Canada’s public policies reflect the reality of today’s workers?
Many of the social programs Canadians rely on for economic security were designed in and for a very different era. Built around a mid-20th-century vision of work and family life, programs like Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan, and key parts of our tax system still assume a post-war era worker that is full-time, uninterrupted and unburdened by caregiving.
In this special extended episode, Professors Tammy Schirle (Wilfrid Laurier University) and Jennifer Robson (Carleton University) join host Marwa Abdou to unpack how caregiving responsibilities, gender inequities and access barriers collide with outdated policy assumptions. From motherhood penalties to administrative red tape, this conversation examines the hidden gaps shaping Canadians’ financial stability — and what it will take to build a system that works for today’s workforce.
Resources:
Tammy Schirle, Wilfrid Laurier University
Jennifer Robson, Carleton University
Tammy Schirle, C.D. Howe
Jennifer Robson, Policy Options, IRPP
Food insecurity among Canadian adults with disabilities is shockingly high. Here’s what we could do about that (Robson, 2024)
State Capacity and Administrative Burdens on Citizens: Time for Export Controls and Transparency (Robson, 2024)
Finances of the Nation: Federal and Provincial Income Support Programs for Seniors in Canada (Schirle, 2024)
What Proportion of Tax Returns Could the Canada Revenue Agency Complete? (Genest-Grégoire, Robson et al., 2023)
Guest:
Tammy Schirle, Professor of Economics, Wilfrid Laurier Institute
Jennifer Robson, Program Director and Associate Professor, Political Management, Carleton University
AI is already reshaping global economies — but is Canada falling behind?
Avi Goldfarb, Rotman Chair in AI at the University of Toronto, joins host Marwa Abdou to explain why Canada’s early leadership in research hasn’t led to widespread adoption. They discuss the real economic force behind AI — prediction — and why waiting to act could cost Canadian companies and citizens real gains.
From public sector transformation to private-sector hesitation, this episode unpacks the key decisions Canada must make now to stay in the game.
Resources:
Avi Goldfarb
Creative Destruction Lab
Prediction Machines, Updated and Expanded: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence (2018)
Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence (2022)
Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Paul Scharre
The Work of the Future: Building Better Jobs in an Age of Intelligent Machines by David Autor, David A. Mindell and Elisabeth B. Reynolds
Avi Goldfarb, Rotman Chair in AI at the University of Toronto
In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained, host Marwa Abdou explores Canada’s pivotal role as G7 and B7 president in 2025 and the country’s opportunity to lead on AI adoption and sustainability. Joining her are Tom Mosseau and Franco Amalfi from Capgemini Canada—a global consulting and technology firm—who break down the challenges and possibilities facing Canadian businesses.
Resources:
2025 B7 Communique
Key Takeaways from the 2025 B7 Summit
Capgemini – Data and AI
Capgemini – Developing sustainable Gen AI
Prompting Productivity
Tom Mosseau and Franco Amalfi, Capgemini Canada
In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained, host Marwa Abdou brings us insights from the inaugural Business Data Lab conference, The Case for Canada. Trust — once the invisible foundation of commerce and governance — is now fractured, with only 62% of Canadians expressing moderate or high trust in institutions, according to Edelman’s Trust Barometer. Former Statistics Canada Chief Anil Arora opened with a strong statement: “Good data…is an investment in building trust.”
The episode features a range of voices from the conference: Economist Stephen Tapp, Professor Meredith Lilly, Dr. Chad Bown and Andrew DiCapua.
Resources:
2025 Edelman Trust Barometer
World Values Survey
Regulatory Accumulation, Business Dynamism and Economic Growth in Canada
The Future of North America’s Economic Relationship
How Canada Won at Home While America Came First in NAFTA Renegotiations
Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director, BDL
Dr. Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary and Director of Fiscal and Economic Policy at the School of Public Policy, joins Marwa Abdou to discuss the growing fiscal divide between Canada and the United States. Tombe explains why Canada’s finances are more stable, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of about 42% compared to America’s 100%+. However, he warns of risks ahead, including a 500% spike in trade uncertainty that could reduce Canadian business investment by 25%. “We’re facing uncertainty at levels we’ve never seen before,” he says in the episode.
Guest:
Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary and Director of Fiscal and Economic Policy at the School of Public Policy
Deloitte Canada Chief Economist Dawn Desjardins joins the podcast to break down their 2025 forecast, “Calm Before the Storm.” She explains how falling interest rates and household savings are holding the economy steady—but warns that looming U.S. tariffs, declining immigration, and global uncertainty could push Canada into a brief recession. A 25% tariff could cost Canadians $2,000 a year and trigger a 0.8% GDP contraction. Desjardins believes the impact will be sharp but short. “We will get to a new status quo,” she says in the episode.
Resources:
BDL Business Conditions Terminal
Deloitte Canada Report
Guest:
Dawn Desjardins, Chief Economist, Deloitte Canada
Former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of State Dr. Chad Bown joins Marwa Abdou to explain how new U.S. tariffs threaten Canada’s supply chains, businesses, and workers. He shares why retaliation could backfire and why diversification is easier said than done.
Resources:
Carte du commerce Canada-États-Unis
Trade Talks Podcast
Chad Bown Website
Guest:
Dr. Chad Bown, Reginald Jones Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics; Host, Trade Talks podcast
This episode explores Canada’s gender gap in entrepreneurship with Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO of BDC, tackling the systemic barriers women face—especially in accessing capital. Drawing from BDL’s new report, Women Entrepreneurs: Canada’s Biggest Missed Business Opportunity, the discussion reveals why women still own just 18% of Canadian businesses despite a $2 billion government push to double that by 2025. Hudon shares how initiatives like the BDC’s $500 million Thrive platform are driving change.
Resources:
Women Entrepreneurs: Canada’s Biggest Missed Business Opportunity
Business Conditions Terminal for Women in Business
Guest:
Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO, BDC
U.S. tariffs are disrupting Canada’s $1.3 trillion trade relationship, straining supply chains and creating uncertainty for businesses. Mairead Lavery, former President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC), explains how tariffs drive up costs and hit small businesses the hardest.
Resources:
Partners in Prosperity Report
Canada-US Trade Tracker
Guest:
Mairead Lavery, Former President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC)
What’s the big deal about productivity? And how can businesses play a role in changing its course? In this episode, host Marwa Abdou offers a crash course on Canada’s productivity with additional insights from Andrew DiCapua. Their discussion covers how generative AI, operational efficiency and innovation can all help Canadian businesses address productivity challenges and secure long-term growth.
Resources:
Key reports: Prompting Productivity and Business Insights Quarterly
Reports and tools: businessdatalab.ca
Guest:
Andrew DiCapua, Principal Economist at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
In this episode, host Marwa Abdou, alongside guests Stephen Tapp and Patrick Gill, discuss eight major economic predictions for Canada in 2025. These predictions cover affordability challenges, labour market shifts, trade uncertainties, and more.
Resources:
Canada-US Trade Tracker
Prompting Productivity Report
Guests:
Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist and SVP, Research, Data and Analytics
Patrick Gill, Senior Director, Operations and Partnerships, BDL
Welcome to The Business Data Lab Podcast: Canada’s Economy, Explained. An initiative of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Hosted by Senior Research Director Marwa Abdou, this podcast features insightful discussions with economists and business leaders. Listen in for deep, expert analysis of Canada’s top economic trends to help you make sense of the numbers.
Host:
Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director
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