The Calgary Chamber of Commerce released an 82-point plan on Feb. 10, to address what they said has been Canada’s flagging domestic economy and competitiveness.
The public policy recommendations are grouped into key parts of the economy including competitiveness, trade, entrepreneurship, talent and labour, and community well-being.
The plan was developed through surveys and round tables of Chamber members, along with national polling.
“Canada is at an inflection point. For years, our productivity has declined, and we have watched capital flow to other jurisdictions, rather than be invested in Canada,” said Deborah Yedlin, CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
“From regulatory burdens and uncertainty associated with project approvals, to a lower dollar that has constrained investment in new technologies and equipment, Canadian businesses and workers have watched our competitiveness erode.”
The Chamber said the plan reflects the untapped economic potential of Canada’s economy that is currently not being reached.
According to the polling done by the Chamber, 79 per cent of Canadians believe in the connection between a strong economy and a strong society, but just 39 per cent believe that Canada is on the right track to achieve that.
“The recent—and still impending—threat of tariffs from the United States has rightfully magnified and focused our attention on this long-standing issue. Now, more than ever, Canadians are looking to governments and businesses to seize this moment and take action to protect Canadian jobs and workers, grow the Canadian economy and build a strong future for Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast,” said Yedlin.
The solution, said the Chamber, was to have businesses set the economic agenda nationally, with 19 per cent of respondents saying that businesses should lead with minimal government intervention, and 44 per cent saying that there should be some government oversight.
The full plan entitled Inflection Point: A Plan for a Competitive, Productive, Prosperous Canada is available at calgarychamber.com/inflection-point-a-plan-for-a-competitive-productive-prosperous-canada.
