Since the turn of the century, Canada has enjoyed enormous success—and our nation’s future appears bright. However, our successes as a nation have partially masked some major challenges, which we will also need to address in the years ahead.
To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017, we at BCG in Canada launched an effort to examine Canada’s current and future prospects. We then established the Centre for Canada’s Future to serve as a catalyst moving Canada forward, identifying the greatest opportunities for the nation, contributing to the national dialogue, and helping shape the country’s agenda.
BCG has long been committed to making a difference in Canada. Every day, we live out the legacy of civic entrepreneur and BCG senior partner David Pecaut, unleashing social impact by applying disciplined analytics and strategic thinking to society’s most pressing problems. We focus not on our past achievements but on anticipating and meeting both the demands and promise of the future.
BCG’s Centre for Canada’s Future aims to be a catalyst that helps move Canada forward. To realize these goals, the Centre:
CUSTOMER INSIGHTS
The “say-do” gap is a perennial challenge for climate-conscious products. But fresh data from BCG’s Canadian Consumer Survey shows that, for some consumers and products, the gap has closed.
THE CLIMATE OPPORTUNITY FOR CANADA
The global push for Net Zero creates huge opportunities for Canada’s climate tech innovators, but they will need support to survive ‘valleys of death’ and scale to impact.
How Canada can overcome its slower start and deliver low-carbon hydrogen to Northeast Asian consumers.
Trends in battery supply chains coupled with the US’s Inflation Reduction Act present a tremendous opportunity for Canada and Canadian companies, if we act now.
2022 has highlighted how critical food is to us. The planet's population will grow by a quarter by 2050, while at the same time we face the imperative of cutting emissions. As a top global agricultural producer and innovator, Canada has both an opportunity and an obligation to take action.
CANADIAN ALLIANCE FOR NET-ZERO AGRIFOOD
BCG’s Centre for Canada’s Future is proud to be a founding member of the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA). Bringing together Canadian leaders along the entire agri-food value chain from farmers to retailing, CANZA aims to drive meaningful change by fostering collaboration across technology, infrastructure, policy, and finance.
Canada has an enormous opportunity to help feed the world as the planet’s population grows to 10 billion by 2050, while also creating economic opportunity here in Canada and leading the global path to sustainable food systems.
We are delighted to partner with our cofounders to help advance progress in these critical issues. Click here to read The Next Green Revolution, our thought leadership initiative in collaboration with RBC and the Arrell Food Institute. Click here to learn more about CANZA.
How can Canada solve 4 MT of methane emissions from its 180 million cows, sheep and chickens while catalyzing a new industry in rural Canada?
Sustainable agriculture is becoming a strategic priority globally, but Canada is falling behind. These nine polices can slingshot Canada’s agriculture sector to the forefront of the next green revolution.
By embracing sustainable agricultural practices, Canada can leverage soil as an asset to fight climate change and the biodiversity crisis. New financial instruments are required to reward farmers not only for what they produce, but also for what they preserve.
Agriculture technology is the key to a low carbon, sustainable global food system. Seven specific technologies hold great promise to kick start Canada's transformation to a low carbon food powerhouse.
CANADIAN PROSPERITY AND GROWTH
To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, BCG takes a look at Canada‘s enormously successful past and bright future. To launch a series of studies advancing a national conversation about Canada’s future we begin with this examination of Canada’s prosperity.
With the vaccine rollout underway in Canada, the question now is not whether we will get through the crisis, but what Canada will look like afterwards. How do we ensure a prosperous future for Canadians in the post-vaccine normal? That is the trillion dollar question.
The national conversation on telecom pricing is often portrayed as a binary choice between low costs for consumers and high profits for industry. The reality is more complicated. BCG's latest research highlights the need for Canadian policymakers to balance affordability with quality, availability, investment, and innovation.
BCG examined data from 18 countries over the past 50 years with the goal of addressing one key question: if Canada were to experience a major deleveraging shock, what would it look like and how could Canadian companies prepare?
Canada has experienced impressive growth over the past two decades, but significant challenges lie ahead. To lay the foundation for ongoing economic success and a sustained quality of life, informed choices and bold action will be needed.
BCG and its partners in the CanInfra collaboration plan a conference and national contest to advance the conversation on the future of infrastructure in Canada.
PEOPLE STRATEGY AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Canada’s industrial sector is facing a critical talent shortage. By taking three key steps, employers can improve the lives of their workers and drive bottom line impact.
Unchecked workplace stress is fueling a mental health crisis among young Canadians. Fostering resilience and well-being can help businesses address burnout.
Canada will need lots of new agri-talent to boost output while transitioning to Net Zero, especially since 40% of farm operators are expected to retire by 2033. Our latest research looks at potential solutions.
As the world continues to change dramatically, one thing remains constant: the need for strong and effective leadership. Here is how Generative Leadership principles can empower public sector teams to address the key challenges in today's disruptive times.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Our latest thinking on allyship highlights four questions for reflection to think critically about day-to-day ally actions that can bring about long-lasting cultural change.
BCG surveyed over 5000 employees at major Canadian corporations to get a bottom-up view of how women, LGBTQ2, people of colour, Indigenous people and Canadians with disabilities experience diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
The question is no longer “if” or “why” gender diversity is important, but rather “how to get there.” In Canada, BCG spoke with representatives from 28 companies across major industries and surveyed more than 1,200 employees. The Canadian-specific results provide a clear playbook to company leaders on how to improve gender diversity.
Through the Centre for Canada’s Future, BCG brings strategic excellence and a focus on creating meaningful impact for Canadians. We collaborate with the public and private sectors to address the greatest challenges facing both society and Canada as a country, mobilizing action and acting as catalysts for change on critical issues such as Canadian prosperity, successful cities, attracting foreign investment, and digital innovation.
