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Looking beyond innovation to boost Canada’s productivity

Improving Canada’s productivity has become more crucial than ever. Our economic research will help you look beyond innovation to crucial factors, including helping firms grow, becoming export-ready and investing in intangible capital.

Canada’s ability to improve productivity is crucial for its competitiveness, economic prosperity and long-term growth. Over the past decade, policy-makers have tried to find ways to revive Canada’s productivity growth, but have had little success. Primarily, they have looked to improve the country’s innovation performance as a way to boost productivity.

There are many factors outside innovation that impact a firm’s productivity; those factors include:

  • size of firm
  • firm export orientation and participation in global value chains
  • investment in intangible capital
  • sector and regional affiliations
  • forms of ownership

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada)’s economic research details the impact of these factors on firm’s and country’s productivity. Our research also highlights options policy-makers may wish to consider when developing a response to economic challenges caused by slow productivity growth.