Our work focuses on five key areas: immigration; infrastructure and environment; economy, innovation and entrepreneurship, support for children and families; and education, skills and employment.
Please refer to our resource section for the most up-to-date information, events, and reports.
Each focus area links directly to successfully establishing a bigger and more diverse Canada with a strong economy and social infrastructure:
Immigration is the cornerstone of Canada's prosperity, driving economic growth, demographic renewal, and cultural diversity. With an aging population and declining birth rates, immigration is essential to sustaining our workforce, filling labour shortages, and ensuring the competitiveness of Canadian industries in a global economy. Beyond its economic impact, immigration enriches our communities, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and vibrant multiculturalism that defines Canadian identity. Strategic, well-planned immigration policies can contribute to building a resilient and inclusive society that thrives for generations to come.
Vibrant cities are beacons for people and ideas. To ensure our cities are able to accommodate current population levels and are poised for growth, we must invest in affordable housing, effective public transportation, overall infrastructure, and expansion to the near and far North.
Attracting more people to our cities allows us to share the cost of key services such as hospitals, roads, libraries, and policing across a larger tax base. There is evidence that higher density cities have a greater flow of ideas and people, and a lower carbon footprint.
A thriving domestic market benefits everyone. By supporting greater investment and research, tapping into our under-represented talent, and helping companies to grow from start-ups to multinational entities, we contribute to Canada’s economic might.
We want to support families in their choices to have children and to work productively. A revised family leave policy, a national daycare system, and quality education are critical to doing this well. This is especially important for new arrivals who may not have the same access to childcare options without a strong public system in place.
People are our future, and we need to invest in them. Strong schools are the way to do this. They attract and develop high-potential, highly-motivated people, both domestic and international. Education is the key to social mobility for all Canadians.
Without immigration, Canada’s population will start to shrink in twenty years. As a result, it is not a question of whether, but how much immigration is appropriate. Canada already has a large number of immigrants, who are a source of economic strength and diversity. Our openness as a country is a competitive advantage, and it must remain that way for decades to come.
Historically, Canada has successfully supported very high levels of immigration. In 1913, 400,000 immigrants arrived in Canada, representing over 5.2% of the population at the time.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Immigrants to Canada are more likely to start and own businesses than those born in Canada.
Statistics Canada, 2016
Immigrants arrive in Canada in better health than their Canadian-born counterparts. This is evidenced by 10 years of better health outcomes – lower rates of diabetes, hypertension, and perinatal complications such as prematurity and low birth weights.
Statistics Canada, 2011
Vibrant cities are beacons for people and ideas. To ensure our cities are able to accommodate current population levels and are poised for growth, we must invest in affordable housing, effective public transportation, overall infrastructure, and expansion to the near and far North.
Attracting more people to our cities allows us to share the cost of key services such as hospitals, roads, libraries, and policing across a larger tax base. There is evidence that higher density cities have a greater flow of ideas and people, and a lower carbon footprint.
Canada is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Over 80% of Canadians live in cities.
Statistics Canada, 2014
Canadian transit systems require $4.2 billion per year to repair and replace existing assets. This excludes meeting unmet or future demands of residents.
McKinsey Global Institute, 2013
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has estimated that congestion is costing the country $15 billion per year, equivalent to almost 1% of Canada’s GDP.
Canadian Infrastructure Report, 2016
A thriving domestic market benefits everyone. By supporting greater investment and research, tapping into our under-represented talent, and helping companies to grow from start-ups to multinational entities, we contribute to Canada’s economic might.
Canada’s expenditure on research and development is 1.69% of GDP, compared to the OECD average of 2.36%.
Statistics Canada, 2014
The combined value of the technology cluster in Toronto, Kitchener, and Waterloo is $9.9 billion. It is $410.9 billion in the Silicon Valley.
McKinsey Global Institute, 2013
The number of new businesses in Canada has declined steadily over the last 10 years.
Canadian Infrastructure Report, 2016
We want to support families in their choices to have children and to work productively. A revised family leave policy, a national daycare system, and quality education are critical to doing this well. This is especially important for new arrivals who may not have the same access to childcare options without a strong public system in place.
76% of Canadian women participate in the labour force compared to an OECD average of 64%.
OECD, 2013
The increase in the percentage of working women has been responsible for 1/3 of Canadian economic growth over the past 50 years.
Statistics Canada, 2016
The median cost of full-time child care across Canada ranges from a low of $152 per month in Quebec to a high of $677 in Ontario.
Statistics Canada, 2014
The impact of $7-a-day child care in Quebec shows that women’s labour force participation is 8 to 12% higher than it would have otherwise been.
Fortin, Godbout & St-Cerny, 2012
Canada’s public spending on early childhood education is (between 0.2% and 0.34% of GDP) less than half the OECD average.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2014
People are our future, and we need to invest in them. Strong schools are the way to do this. They attract and develop high-potential, highly-motivated people, both domestic and international. Education is the key to social mobility for all Canadians.
Canadian scores in reading, mathematics, and science have been falling since 2003.
OECD, 2014
Half of Canadian STEM degrees are held by, people who were not born in Canada.
Statistics Canada, 2011
Public funding for post-secondary education by the federal government accounts for an average of approximately 57% of university and college operating funding in Canada, down from 80% just 2 decades ago.
Statistics Canada, 2011
