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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.

The Brief | April 30, 2026

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.

Research & Insights

Intelligence Memos
Not Enough Deficit Discipline in the Update, the Fall Budget Must Get Serious
Colin Busby, Nicholas Dahir, Kate Koplovich
Affordable but Unavailable: National Childcare’s Supply Crisis 
Parisa Mahboubi, Tingting Zhang
Opinion / Editorial
The $25-billion sovereign wealth fund is not enough for Canada’s investment challenges
Colin Busby, Kate Koplovich, Alexandre Laurin
Fiscal fantasy: Believe it or not, fiscal reality hasn’t gone away
Don Drummond, Alexandre Laurin, William B.P. Robson
Podcasts

Latest Videos

The Tax Credit That Could Give Millions of Canadians a Pension | Alex Mazer and Keith Ambachtsheer
More than 9 million Canadians don’t have a company pension plan because they work for a small business that doesn’t think it can afford one. Finance veteran Keith Ambachtsheer and industry leader Alex Mazer have a solution that keeps SMEs competitive during unprecedented times. Read the report: https://cdhowe.org/publication/spreading-the-benefits-a-targeted-tax-credit-is-needed-to-expand-retirement-plan-coverage-in-canadas-private-sector/  
The 5% NATO Commitment Price Tag Will Require Ottawa to Make Tough Choices

Graphic Intelligence

March Increase in Gasoline Prices Show Impact of Iran Conflict

Gasoline prices in Canada rose by more than 20 percent between February and March 2026….

AI Adoption in Canada Could Reach 48% by 2036 – But Productivity Gains Modest Compared to G7 Peers

AI adoption among enterprises could reach 13 to 63 percent across G7 countries over the…

Federal and Provincial Net Debt Could Reach Unsustainable Levels

Federal and Provincial Net Debt Could Reach Unsustainable Levels
Combining provincial and federal net-debt projections in the most recently released budgets shows the consolidated…

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