The Real Reason Canada’s Economy Is Underperforming in a High-Investment Economy

Описание: Canada’s federal government has committed $176 billion over five years to boost productivity and unlock private investment. While on the surface it sounds transformative, the architects of Canada’s economic future are quietly skeptical about whether this actually works.

In this episode of the Colliers Talks Economics podcast, host Adam Jacobs is joined by Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist at The Conference Board of Canada, to unpack why Canada continues to lag peers on productivity and what it means for businesses, policymakers, and real estate decision-makers in the year ahead.

Subscribe to Colliers Talks Economics wherever you listen. Learn more about how Colliers Canada stays on top of real estate trends at https://www.collierscanada.com/en-ca.

What You’ll Learn:
● How to diagnose Canada's productivity gap
● Why federal budget catalyst effects may overpromise
● The residential construction productivity trap
● How to segment labour market health beyond headline unemployment
● Why Canada's dramatic immigration reversal creates structural uncertainty
● The AI productivity opportunity and displacement risk

Pedro Antunes is the Chief Economist at The Conference Board of Canada, leading a team of economists focused on thought leadership across productivity, labour market dynamics, trade diversification, federal budgeting, and human capital development. As a recognized spokesperson for the Conference Board, he provides expert testimony to Parliament and regularly engages with business leaders, policymakers, and media on critical economic issues shaping Canada's future.

Subscribe to Colliers Talks Economics wherever you listen. Learn more about how Colliers Canada stays on top of real estate trends at https://www.collierscanada.com/en-ca.

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:
● [00:00] Introduction
● [01:33] The Real Productivity Lever
● [06:06] Housing as a Cautionary Tale
● [10:25] Industry and Regional Winners/Laggards
● [14:45] Major Projects, Missing Workers
● [17:56] From Labour Shortages to a Sharp Pullback
● [23:49] The Baby Boomer Exit Wave
● [28:19] Two Canadas in 2026
● [34:59] Return to Office, Reversed
● [38:38] Why AI Is Different This Time
● [44:19] Where AI Hits First
● [47:59] What AI Means for Real Estate

Web: https://www.collierscanada.com/en-ca/...

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7E6t...