Intended Consequences

Like the rest of the Canadian economy, the construction industry is badly hit by a decline in labour productivity. Looking at historical data, labour productivity in the construction sector is lower today than it was before the pandemic. This comes at a time when communities are growing and we need to build more houses and infrastructure. Increasing productivity will require a variety of tools and...

Artificial intelligence , the Internet of Things, and blockchain are changing the game for governments, companies, and workers. As these emerging technologies gain traction and get adopted, questions around their impact on people are top of mind. Will they create a digital divide where some individuals get left behind in both their personal and professional lives? Faun Rice from the Information an...

While the war in Ukraine rages on, another fight continues in its neighbour to the north, Belarus.   In 2020, its dictator Alexander Lukashenko faced massive protests in the streets and is widely seen by the international community to have lost the presidential election to an unlikely opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Tsikhanouskaya ran in the place of her husband Siarhei, who was arrested by th...

StrategyCorp hosted a webinar on November 7th to analyze the results of the U.S. election. Three expert panelists joined Garry Keller, Head of the StrategyCorp's Geopolitical and International Business Advisory Practice, to discuss what the return of Donald Trump to the White House could mean for Canada: Louise Blais, Former Canadian Diplomat Richard Madan, CBC Washington DC Correspondent Christop...

The Ontario legislature returns after a long summer break. MPPs head back to Queen's Park under interesting circumstances as parties are also getting ready for a potential snap election. Aidan Grove-White, Fraser Macdonald and Kelly Baker join the podcast to analyze what the priorities of each party will be this fall. They also highlight the key risks and opportunities the Ontario Progressive Cons...

We begin the 10 th season of Intended Consequences by looking at the return of the House of Commons. There was no shortage of political news over the summer, including the end of the Supply and Confidence Agreement between the Liberals and the NDP . Andrew Steele, Garry Keller and Nasha Brownridge join the podcast to discuss the political dynamics at play and how the Liberals, Conservatives and ND...

According to the Government of Ontario's population projections, the number of seniors aged 70 and over will jump from 1.9 million in 2022 to nearly 3.5 million in 2046. An aging population puts significant pressure on long-term care and healthcare capacity in the province. It has real-life implications for seniors and their families.  This episode explores whether a paradigm shift in seniors' car...

Listen to our panelists Ana Bailão from Dream, Steven Paynter from Gensler, and Aidan Grove-White and Mary Ellen Bench from StrategyCorp, discuss how building conversion works, what needs to happen for these kinds of projects to move forward, the roadblocks that can hinder the reorganization of space, and how different levels of government can help.

On June 26, 2023, Torontonians elected Olivia Chow as their next Mayor in a by-election. As it is often the case when a new mayor comes into office, there was some uncertainty around how Olivia Chow would govern and what the relationship with other levels of government would look like. A lot has happened in Toronto city politics since the election. The City reached a New Deal with the Government o...

Satellites play an increasing role in enabling the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in some parts of Canada. Innovation in low earth orbit (LEO) satellites reminds us that satellite technology is evolving rapidly.  Jason Trembley, Manal Hauenstein and Dennis Béland from Terrestar Solutions join the podcast to discuss the emergence of LEO satellites and what it means for the regulat...

Despite Bitcoin having been around since 2009, crypto and blockchain remain relatively misunderstood. Several myths persist around what the technology is and is not. Many also underappreciate the role of crypto and its innovation potential. As crypto attracts more attention and users, a variety of regulatory frameworks are emerging around the world. To help us understand the world of blockchain, w...

International events and geopolitical shifts have massive impacts on Canada. More than ever, governments and companies find themselves navigating uncertain geopolitical dynamics. To assess what this means in practice, we are joined by Arif Lalani, a Senior Advisor with StrategyCorp's Geopolitical and International Business Advisory Practice. He shares his insight on what a declining western libera...

Governments spend large sums of money on procurement every year. According to Global Affairs Canada, estimates show that government procurement represents between 13 and 20 per cent of a country's gross domestic product. Given the size of the budgets and the wide array of goods and services governments need, procurement is a big opportunity for potential suppliers. However, procurement processes a...

The StrategyCorp Institute concludes its miniseries on artificial intelligence with an episode on AI in the municipal context. From building permit approvals to smart infrastructure to answering residents' questions, there are many opportunities for municipalities to integrate AI-based solutions.  However, with all the hype around AI, it can be difficult for local governments to cut through the no...

The StrategyCorp Institute continues its miniseries on artificial intelligence by looking at the Canadian context. We discuss the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act in bill C-27 and the federal government's overall approach to regulating AI. We also explore Canada's leadership in AI, how companies are adopting the technology and whether it will lead to greater productivity. Christelle Tessono an...

Canada is undergoing a transformation in how we manage our waste. Transitioning to a circular economy that extends the life cycle of products and reduces waste can have significant environmental benefits. To be successful, this transition requires the right policies, investments and infrastructures. Individuals, businesses and governments ultimately all have a role to play. In this episode, Strate...

The launch of ChatGPT has forced organizations and institutions across the economy to ask themselves what generative AI means for them in terms of risks and opportunities. Governments and regulators find themselves asking similar questions. Artificial intelligence "going mainstream" because of ChatGPT accelerated regulatory efforts and shaped the policy and political conversation on AI.     The Di...

Le transport en commun est essentiel pour permettre aux gens de se déplacer d'un point A à un point B. Il joue aussi un rôle crucial dans la lutte contre les changements climatiques. Dans cet épisode, l'Institut de StrategyCorp aborde le sujet de la mobilité et des infrastructures de transport en commun. Catherine Morency, professeure à Polytechnique Montréal, et Philippe Couillard, conseiller pri...

Public transportation is essential to enable people to move from point A to point B. It also plays a crucial role in the fight against climate change. In this episode, the StrategyCorp Institute looks at the topic of mobility and public transit infrastructures. University of Toronto Professor Shoshanna Saxe and StrategyCorp Senior Advisor Philippe Couillard provide their insights on the benefits o...

The StrategyCorp Institute begins the ninth season of Intended Consequences with an extensive conversation on the state of entrepreneurship in Canada. The CEO of Startup Canada, Kayla Isabelle, joins us to discuss the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurs face amid significant uncertainty. She highlights the important role women-identifying and Indigenous entrepreneurs play in the economy. Th...

Our year-in-review and look-ahead episode is back to close out this season of Intended Consequences. Our StrategyCorp guests discuss the most important developments of 2023 at all levels of government and their significance for Canadian politics and economics. They also share with us what they will be keeping an eye on in 2024 and why. 

C onvened under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP28 will take place in Dubai between November 30 th and December 12 th . The event is expected to bring together over 70,000 delegates from all over the world. Delegates will include politicians, civil servants, non-government organizations, industry, Indigenous stakeholders and many others. A wide array of issues will be...

Enjoy a special episode of Intended Consequences. On November 23, the StrategyCorp Institute hosted a live webinar on Canada's energy transition journey. Our panel of experts looked at how Canada can achieve its energy and climate goals and thrive. Panelists provided their insight into what this transition and the broader electrification of the economy means from the perspective of power generatio...

Ontario faces severe housing affordability challenges on both the homeownership and the rental sides. The current conditions have significant impacts across the entire housing sector, including non-profit housing. StrategyCorp released in October its first Ontario Non-Profit Housing CEO Survey which brought to light the most pressing challenges and opportunities faced by the sector. Intended Conse...

After winning a majority on May 29th, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP returned to the provincial legislature for the fall sitting. The session began with a Throne Speech that outlined the priorities of the Premier and the tense relationship between Alberta and the federal government. From energy to affordability to infrastructure, the Throne Speech touched on several topics of importanc...