International Economic Policy Council

Canada’s prosperity is strongly dependent on  its access to international markets , and its ability to compete for international investment and talent. There is a critical need to ensure that Canada’s approach to international economic relations is proactive, strategic, and evidence-based.

The C.D. Howe Institute’s International Economic Policy program provides essential policy intelligence to policy and business leaders seeking to navigate the rapidly-evolving global competitive environment.

The Program  publishes  research papers and convenes  policy conferences, roundtables and informal events and discussions. There are three core areas of research: increasing Canada’s competitiveness by better capturing the benefits of open trade and investment; prioritizing and concluding successful trade and investment agreements; and understanding and influencing rules and issues affecting Canadians in the global marketplace.

The  Council provides guidance and support to the program and meets periodically to review and discuss its output and impact, and to discuss relevant issues as they arise. The program’s research and publication activities are led by Daniel Schwanen, an award-winning economist with an extensive track record of influential research on cross-border trade and investment matters.