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  • The Brief | October 9, 2025

Widely considered to be Canada’s most influential think tank, the C.D. Howe Institute is a source of trusted policy intelligence, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review.

About the Institute

The Brief | October 9, 2025

  • Opinions & Editorials
PBO overlooks spending commitments at Canada’s peril
Don Drummond, Alexandre Laurin, William B.P. Robson
  • Research
AI Is Not Rocket Science: Ideas for Achieving Liftoff in Canadian AI Adoption
Michiel van de Panne, Cinda Heeren, Kevin Leyton-Brown, Joanna McGrenere, Raymond Ng, Margo Seltzer, Leonid Sigal
  • Media Releases
C.D. Howe Institute Receives $2M Gift from Esteemed Entrepreneur and Philanthropist Stephen J.R. Smith

Widely considered to be Canada’s most influential think tank, the C.D. Howe Institute is a source of trusted policy intelligence, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE

Research & Insights

  • Research

Regulatory Reset: A Policy Roadmap for Expanding Financial Advice to Middle- and Lower-Income Canadians

Gary Edwards
  • Financial Services and Regulation
  • Research

AI Is Not Rocket Science: Ideas for Achieving Liftoff in Canadian AI Adoption

Michiel van de Panne, Cinda Heeren, Kevin Leyton-Brown, Joanna McGrenere, Raymond Ng, Margo Seltzer, Leonid Sigal
  • Innovation and Business Growth
  • Research

Home Advantage: Helping Financial Institutions Prepare for Financial Distress Amidst Rising Geopolitical Tensions

Mark Zelmer
  • Financial Services and Regulation
  • Policy To the Point

Unlocking Our Healthcare System

  • Health Policy
  • Council Reports

Canadian Economy Contracts, But Does Not Meet Recession Definition

  • Business Cycle
  • Policy To the Point

Tools to Help Canada’s Housing Crisis

  • Research

Access and Affordability: Building Fiscally Responsible Pharmacare Systems

Rosalie Wyonch
  • Health Policy
  • Research

Immigration Policy Still in Need of a Course Correction

  • Demographics and Immigration, Education, Skills and Labour Market
  • Council Reports

Bank of Canada Should Cut Overnight Rate to 2.50 Percent Next Week and to 2.25 Percent in October, Says C.D. Howe Institute Monetary Policy Council

  • Financial Services and Regulation, Monetary Policy
Intelligence Memos
Immigration Reform Begins with Simplifying the System
Parisa Mahboubi
Beware the False Comfort in PBO Deficit Projections
Don Drummond, Alexandre Laurin, William B.P. Robson
Postal Transformation is a Litmus Test for Ottawa
Les Viner
Opinion / Editorial
Did the Trump administration just side with Canada in a treaty dispute?
Lawrence Herman
We Need to Worry More About Canada’s Economic Growth
David Dodge, Don Drummond
Our Immigration System Should Focus on Economic Growth, Not Short-term Political Gain
Parisa Mahboubi
Podcasts
What Canadians Can Expect From Parliament This Fall with Paul Wells and Colin Busby
Experts Recap University and College Foreign Student Caps
Why Canada Won’t Hit Its Immigration Reduction Target
Explore more Insights

Willem Buiter

Special Economic Adviser, Citi

I have been a consumer of the C.D. Howe Institute’s products for years as they are a source of definitive policy intelligence.

Steve Orsini

Principal, Policy Driven Strategies

I am thrilled to be joining the C.D. Howe Institute given its international reputation as a leading independent, nonprofit research organization that is advancing economic, financial and public policy in Canada.

Brian Lewis

Senior Fellow

“It is an honour to be formally associated with the C.D. Howe Institute and to be given an opportunity to contribute to their incredibly strong public policy research.”

Stephen S. Poloz

Former Governor, Bank of Canada

The C.D. Howe Institute is a legendary name. I had to read C.D. Howe publications when I was at school, and they are still required reading.

Janet Davidson

Don Johnson Fellow-in-Residence

The C.D. Howe Institute provides a forum for informed debate and discussion of public policy issues of national importance and their publications are well researched and informative. I consider myself privileged to be included in their efforts.

Lindsay Gordon

Chancellor, UBC; former President and CEO, HSBC Bank of Canada

The C.D. Howe Institute helps create the policy base for a stronger Canadian economy.

Brian Johnston

Corporate Director, Johnston Family Foundation

I support the C.D. Howe Institute because Canada needs  clear, unbiased,  and factual research on the major issues facing this country. C.D. Howe delivers this in spades.   While there is little doubt that some of the conclusions are not well received, the rigour of the analysis can hardly be disputed!

Kevin Milligan

Fellow-in-Residence

“The C.D. Howe Institute serves as an essential hub for policy thinkers from business, government, and academia. I’m delighted to continue my work with the C.D. Howe Institute to find policy solutions to build a more prosperous country for all Canadians.”

Hélène Desmarais, C.M.

Chairman & CEO, Centre d’entreprises et d’innovation de Montréal

Why should we support the Institute? Because it is only through support from civil society that an independent voice such as the C.D. Howe can survive.

David P. O’Brien

Chairman of the Board, Encana

C.D. Howe plays an important role because it’s independent of government, it’s supported across the country, and it does very strong, rigorous analysis of public policy issues.

Ken Engelhart

Senior Fellow

The C.D. Howe Institute provides Canada’s policy makers with practical, useful and principled advice, and I am honoured to be able to assist in their deliberations.

Angel Gurría

Secretary-General, OECD

It is a great honour to speak at the C.D. Howe Institute…one of the world’s epicentres of public policy enlightenment.

Donald Dewees

Professor Emeritus of Economics and Law, University of Toronto

The C.D. Howe Institute’s research and publications provide thoughtful, reasoned and balanced analysis of a wide range of public policy issues in Canada today.

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs

For decades, the C.D. Howe Institute has brought rigour and thoughtfulness to some of the most important public policy debates our country has had – continental free trade, fiscal policy, healthcare policy and immigration policy, to name but a few. The Institute’s work in providing independent, non-partisan, evidence-based research is not only greatly needed for economic policies and fiscal accountability but also for our democracy.

Hugh MacKinnon

Chairman & CEO, Bennett Jones

C.D. Howe means exposure to first-class critical analysis; participation in the development of thoughtful public policy; and enjoying the company of dynamic people engaged in the broader community.

Angelo Melino

Professor, University of Toronto and 2017 Research Auditor, C.D. Howe Institute

The C.D. Howe Institute is the best think tank in Canada.  I especially appreciate the informed perspective, filtered through a rigorous review process, that is provided by former policy makers. I was extremely impressed by the quality of the refereeing and the editting for E-briefs.

Latest Videos

  • Health Policy
Rosalie Wyonch on TheAmberMac Show: Canada’s Health Crisis (and AI Opportunity)
Rosalie Wyonch, associate director of research at the C.D. Howe Institute, joins Amber Mac to share ideas on how we can use innovation, in the face of Canada’s healthcare crisis, to ease Canada’s tied-up hospitals.    
  • Monetary Policy, Trade and International Policy
Jeremy Kronick on BNN Bloomberg: Cracks in Canadian economy more visible
  • Fiscal and Tax Policy, Public Governance and Accountability, Trade and International Policy
What Canadians Can Expect From Parliament This Fall with Paul Wells and Colin Busby
  • Fiscal and Tax Policy, Trade and International Policy
Bill Robson on CBC: Ottawa’s plan to help sectors, workers hurt by Trump tariffs
  • Education, Skills and Labour Market
Experts Recap University and College Foreign Student Caps
See all videos

Graphic Intelligence

Crowding Out Growth: Why Government Spending Must Make Room for Investment

Government consumption – exhaustive spending on employees and other inputs – competes most directly with…

Housing Prices Have Yet to Rebound Despite Rate Cuts

House price growth surged after the Bank of Canada cut the overnight rate to its…

Canada’s Growing North American Competitiveness in Prefabricated Construction

Canada and the United States are each other’s largest trade partners in prefabricated buildings and…
DIVE INTO THE DATA

In the News

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  • Financial Post

Posthaste: Canada’s spending review will yield less than half the savings needed: C.D. Howe report

  • August 14, 2025
Federal Expenditure Review: Welcome, But Flawed
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  • Toronto Star

Opinion | Carney’s $26B bet on prefab housing could be a gamechanger — but will everyone play along?

  • August 13, 2025
Building Smarter, Faster: Technology and Policy Solutions for Canada’s Housing Crisis
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  • National Post

Federal government’s spending review is ‘flawed’ and too narrow: report

  • August 13, 2025
Federal Expenditure Review: Welcome, But Flawed
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  • The Globe and Mail

Investing to save: Governments need a blueprint for fiscal sustainability, says industry leader

  • August 6, 2025
2024 Labour Market Review: Challenges, Trends, and Policy Solutions for Canada
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  • The Hill Times

House Finance Committee faces pre-budget time crunch ahead of fall tabling

  • August 5, 2025
The Fiscal Update the Government Should Have Produced, and the Budget Canada Needs
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  • Financial Post

Caisse’s $3.2-billion investment in a nuclear project is the kind of deal Canada wants — too bad it’s in the U.K.

  • July 24, 2025
Breaking the Catch-22: How Infrastructure Banks Can Kickstart Private Investment and Overcome Market Failures
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  • Telegraph-Journal

Federal budget will further ‘unshackle’ energy industry: Long

  • July 23, 2025
The Fiscal Update the Government Should Have Produced, and the Budget Canada Needs
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  • The Globe and Mail

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act poses challenges for Canada’s tax competitiveness

  • July 22, 2025
The Fiscal Update the Government Should Have Produced, and the Budget Canada Needs
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  • National Post

The pandemic drove up inflation. How come, years later, we’re still paying more?

  • July 21, 2025
An Assessment of Canada’s 2021-22 Inflation Surge
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  • National Post

New report says Ottawa to blame for higher consumer prices after spending splurge

  • July 17, 2025
An Assessment of Canada’s 2021-22 Inflation Surge
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  • The Gazette

Neal: Finally bought a house — 15 years and 3 displacements later

  • July 17, 2025
Tingting Zhang – Canada’s Housing Crisis: A Growing Challenge for Vulnerable Populations
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  • Financial Post

Matthew Lau: There is no shortage of federal activities to cut

  • July 16, 2025
The Fiscal Update the Government Should Have Produced, and the Budget Canada Needs
See all News

Upcoming Events

  • Financial Services and Regulation, Monetary Policy, Roundtable Luncheons

Banking on Stability: Crafting a Stablecoin Framework for Canada

C.D. Howe Institute, 110 Yonge Street, Suite 800, Toronto ON
  • Nov 19, 2025
  • 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
  • Roundtable Luncheons, Trade and International Policy

Reimagining Canada’s Trade for a New Global Era

C.D. Howe Institute, 110 Yonge Street, Suite 800, Toronto ON
  • Oct 14, 2025
  • 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
  • Energy and Natural Resources, Roundtable Luncheons

The Outsized Role of Canada’s Energy Sector in a Shifting Global Landscape: A Conversation with Jon McKenzie, President & CEO, Cenovus Energy

C.D. Howe Institute, 110 Yonge Street, Suite 800, Toronto ON
  • Oct 16, 2025
  • 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
  • Featured Event, Signature Events

The Seventh Regent Debate

Fairmont Royal York, Canadian Room, 100 Front St W, Toronto ON
  • Oct 21, 2025
  • 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
SEE ALL EVENTS

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C.D. Howe Institute Receives $2M Gift from Esteemed Entrepreneur and Philanthropist Stephen J.R. Smith

Learn More