Canada’s human capital challenges are receiving increasing attention from policymakers, businesses and the general public. Education, skills development, immigration, advancing technology, income support and the functioning of the labour market are shaping economic growth and the prosperity of Canadians. Further, whatever success Canada has enjoyed in terms of generating opportunities overall, our economy would benefit from better outcomes among parts of the population – including indigenous peoples, women, new residents, people with disabilities, and others – that have not shared as fully as they could in societal gains. Better public policies would allow individuals greater opportunity to build their skills and utilize new innovations to reach their full potential.

The C.D. Howe Institute’s Human Capital Policy Council is composed of leading experts from the public sector, business and academia, who help guide the program. Its role is to support and advise the Institute’s research and events forming the Human Capital Policy Program, and through it foster better human capital policy in Canada.