Making location decisions has never been as challenging for companies. Global and local factors are extensively influencing investment dynamics and shaping economic development.

Gregg Wassmansdorf, Senior Managing Director of Global Strategy consulting at Newmark, joins the podcast to discuss the state of site selection in Canada and the United States. He provides expert insight into investment readiness, business retention and expansion (BR+E), tariffs, and how politics and policy influence site selection.

Joanne Chianello and Stacy Hushion join the podcast to discuss StrategyCorp's 2025 Ontario Municipal Chief Administrative Officer Survey  . With a municipal election a year away, longstanding pressures facing local governments and Trump-induced uncertainty, it was an interesting time to engage with CAOs to hear their views. Our guests share the Survey's insights into the local impacts of geopolitics, incivility, strong mayor powers, and provincial-municipal relations.

The StrategyCorp Municipal Chief Administrative Officer Survey 2024 highlighted that municipal finance is a top area of concern. The report noted that "many CAOs spoke of financial challenges not just in terms of the gaps and shortfalls they are trying to fill, notably with respect to infrastructure, but in the context of affordability for residents."

Two StrategyCorp Senior Advisors, Michael Fenn and Tony Haddad, join the podcast to talk about the state of municipal financial sustainability in Ontario. They provide their insight on the financial challenges municipalities face and the importance of financial planning to navigate uncertain times. Tony and Michael also discuss ways senior levels of government can help alleviate some of the financial pressures municipalities are dealing with.

How will COVID-19 change the Canadian economy? What do policy makers need to do to ensure we can properly recover from COVID-19? Where can relief packages be strengthened and what policies are needed next? On this episode, we're joined by Karim Bardeesy - former Deputy Principal Secretary to the Premier of Ontario and current head of the Ryerson Leadership Lab to talk policy shop related to COVID-19. Listen to Karim's unique thoughts and ideas on everything from auto insurance relief to a made in Ontario small business lender to the need to protect equality and human capital in the policy responses in the months to come. 

On this episode we're joined by Bonnie Lysyk, Ontario's first female Auditor General. The Auditor is a non-partisan officer of the Legislature responsible for ensuring value for money spent by government. Auditor Lysyk was appointed in 2013 in the middle of an infamous audit on the true costs of the 2011 gas plant scandal. After releasing that report it became clear that the new Auditor was competent, sharp, and determined to get to the bottom of Ontario's finances. Throughout her term she's seen her power to veto government advertisements removed and had two major accounting disputes with government over the Fair Hydro Plan and pension surpluses. How did that happen? How do these multi-billion dollar issues get resolved? What changes need to be made for the Auditor to continue to provide a trusted and important role? We dig into all that and more!

The Ring of Fire may be the single largest resource development opportunity Ontario will ever see. The only problem is the Ring's mineral deposits are located hundreds of kilometres from the nearest road. The Province has put aside $1 billion to build a set of roads to the Ring, but everything from negotiations with local Indigenous communities to complex infrastructure requirements have to be sorted first. Noront owns over 70% of all mining claims in the Ring of Fire. Noront's CEO, Alan Coutts, joins us to discuss this once in a generation opportunity.

The fourth episode of the podcast features Dr. Bob Bell, former Ontario Deputy Minister of Health and a 40 year medical expert. Dr. Bell talks about the challenges of dealing with Corona Virus in Ontario and what comes next on that front. He also touches on managing a $64 billion Ministry, the future of Ontario health care, and what drove him to become a partisan Liberal for the first time in a more than 40 year career. 

The third episode of the podcast features Kim Moran, CEO of Children's Mental Health Ontario. Kim discusses the challenges of navigating Ontario's mental health system for the 28,000 children and youth currently on waiting lists for treatment. She candidly shares her personal experiences with the system and explains what Ontario can do to solve the growing backlog.

The second episode of the podcast features Canada's former Ambassador to the United States David MacNaughton. The episode covers his time as Principal Secretary to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and his key role throughout the re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with President Donald Trump's administration.

This first episode of the podcast is meant to introduce listeners to the StrategyCorp Institute of Public Policy and Economy and its podcast, Intended Consequences. It features a live interview from the Institute's launch event.

Our annual year-in-review & look-ahead episode is back to close out this season of Intended Consequences. Our StrategyCorp guests discuss the most important national and international developments of 2024 and their significance for Canadian politics and economics. They also share with us what they will be keeping an eye on in 2025 and why.

Like the rest of the Canadian economy, the construction industry is badly hit by a decline in labour productivity. Looking at historical data, labour productivity in the construction sector is lower today than it was before the pandemic. This comes at a time when communities are growing and we need to build more houses and infrastructure.

Increasing productivity will require a variety of tools and one of them is technology. To discuss the impacts of technology adoption in the construction sector, we are joined by Hamid Alemohammad, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Brickeye.

Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and blockchain are changing the game for governments, companies, and workers. As these emerging technologies gain traction and get adopted, questions around their impact on people are top of mind. Will they create a digital divide where some individuals get left behind in both their personal and professional lives?

Faun Rice from the Information and Communications Technology Council joins the podcast to discuss what the digital divide means for individuals and businesses. She also provides insight into how students and workers can develop the right skills for a rapidly changing digital economy.

While the war in Ukraine rages on, another fight continues in its neighbour to the north, Belarus.  In 2020, its dictator Alexander Lukashenko faced massive protests in the streets and is widely seen by the international community to have lost the presidential election to an unlikely opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Tsikhanouskaya ran in the place of her husband Siarhei, who was arrested by the authorities in May 2020.  While Siarhei remains in prison in Belarus, Sviatlana, who was exiled almost immediately, leads the opposition from abroad. Her goal is to work with international allies to build the framework for a post-Lukashenko future for Belarus.

She was in Canada this week for high-level meetings with the Government of Canada, allied ambassadors and the Belarusian community. She joined StrategyCorp's Garry Keller for a conversation on the challenges she faces, and what Canadians can do to support freedom and democracy in Belarus.

StrategyCorp hosted a webinar on November 7th to analyze the results of the U.S. election. Three expert panelists joined Garry Keller, Head of the StrategyCorp's Geopolitical and International Business Advisory Practice, to discuss what the return of Donald Trump to the White House could mean for Canada:

• Louise Blais, Former Canadian Diplomat
• Richard Madan, CBC Washington DC Correspondent
• Christopher Sands, Director of the Wilson Center's Canada Institute

The Ontario legislature returns after a long summer break. MPPs head back to Queen's Park under interesting circumstances as parties are also getting ready for a potential snap election.

Aidan Grove-White, Fraser Macdonald and Kelly Baker join the podcast to analyze what the priorities of each party will be this fall. They also highlight the key risks and opportunities the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, NDP and Liberals could face. With an election looming, our guests discuss how the parties are preparing to hit the campaign trail.

We begin the 10th season of Intended Consequences by looking at the return of the House of Commons. There was no shortage of political news over the summer, including the end of the Supply and Confidence Agreement between the Liberals and the NDP.

Andrew Steele, Garry Keller and Nasha Brownridge join the podcast to discuss the political dynamics at play and how the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP will be approaching the fall sitting.

According to the Government of Ontario's population projections, the number of seniors aged 70 and over will jump from 1.9 million in 2022 to nearly 3.5 million in 2046. An aging population puts significant pressure on long-term care and healthcare capacity in the province. It has real-life implications for seniors and their families. 

This episode explores whether a paradigm shift in seniors' care is needed. The CEO of the Ontario Retirement Communities Association Cathy Hecimovich and StrategyCorp Senior Advisor Philippe Couillard join the podcast to discuss the continuum of care and the role of retirement communities. They also share their thoughts on how governments can help seniors be in control of their care.

Listen to our panelists Ana Bailão from Dream, Steven Paynter from Gensler, and Aidan Grove-White and Mary Ellen Bench from StrategyCorp, discuss how building conversion works, what needs to happen for these kinds of projects to move forward, the roadblocks that can hinder the reorganization of space, and how different levels of government can help.

After a busy summer for the government and opposition parties, Members of Parliament are back in Ottawa for the return of the House of Commons. Between the ongoing tension with the United States, the return of Pierre Poilievre in the House of Commons, and an upcoming federal budget amid a slowing economy, there will be no shortage of political and economic developments to keep an eye on this fall.

Jeff Mahon joins the podcast to provide an overview of how geopolitical dynamics will influence Canadian politics and government priorities. Allyson Grant and Garry Keller also drop by to talk about what to expect from the Liberals, the Conservatives, the NDP, and the Bloc as Parliament returns.

On June 26, 2023, Torontonians elected Olivia Chow as their next Mayor in a by-election. As it is often the case when a new mayor comes into office, there was some uncertainty around how Olivia Chow would govern and what the relationship with other levels of government would look like.

A lot has happened in Toronto city politics since the election. The City reached a New Deal with the Government of Ontario and Council passed the Mayor's first budget. To look back on the last year and discuss what comes next in Toronto, Aidan Grove-White, Fraser Macdonald and Marco Bianchi from StrategyCorp join the podcast

Satellites play an increasing role in enabling the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in some parts of Canada. Innovation in low earth orbit (LEO) satellites reminds us that satellite technology is evolving rapidly. 

Jason Trembley, Manal Hauenstein and Dennis Béland from Terrestar Solutions join the podcast to discuss the emergence of LEO satellites and what it means for the regulatory regime. With an increasing number of satellites in orbit, we explore how industry and governments can work together to limit risks associated with satellite collisions and the proliferation of space debris. Our guests also highlight interesting IoT use cases powered by satellites.

Despite Bitcoin having been around since 2009, crypto and blockchain remain relatively misunderstood. Several myths persist around what the technology is and is not. Many also underappreciate the role of crypto and its innovation potential. As crypto attracts more attention and users, a variety of regulatory frameworks are emerging around the world.

To help us understand the world of blockchain, web3 and crypto, we are joined by Justin Wales, SVP and Head of Legal for the Americas at crypto.com. He is the author of a new book titled The Crypto Legal Handbook: A Guide to the Laws of Crypto, Web3, and the Decentralized World.

International events and geopolitical shifts have massive impacts on Canada. More than ever, governments and companies find themselves navigating uncertain geopolitical dynamics. To assess what this means in practice, we are joined by Arif Lalani, a Senior Advisor with StrategyCorp's Geopolitical and International Business Advisory Practice. He shares his insight on what a declining western liberal democratic order concretely entails and why technology is now a form of hard power. We discuss how a changing geopolitical order impacts foreign policy and the way Canadian companies conduct business abroad.

Governments spend large sums of money on procurement every year. According to Global Affairs Canada, estimates show that government procurement represents between 13 and 20 per cent of a country's gross domestic product.

Given the size of the budgets and the wide array of goods and services governments need, procurement is a big opportunity for potential suppliers. However, procurement processes are often complex and hard to navigate.

To explore the topic of federal procurement, we are joined by the President of AES Inc., Annie Randell, and Martin Rust, a Senior Advisor and a member of the StrategyCorp Procurement Solutions team. We explore why government procurement matters, the lifecycle of a process and how it could be improved. A member of Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation, Annie Randell also discusses the obstacles Indigenous-led organizations face when they partake in government procurement processes.

Later in the show, Julie Gonyou explains what makes municipal procurement unique and debunks common misconceptions. A former Chief Administrative Officer, Julie Gonyou is a Director at StrategyCorp and a member of the firm's Procurement Solutions team.

The StrategyCorp Institute concludes its miniseries on artificial intelligence with an episode on AI in the municipal context. From building permit approvals to smart infrastructure to answering residents' questions, there are many opportunities for municipalities to integrate AI-based solutions. 

However, with all the hype around AI, it can be difficult for local governments to cut through the noise and adequately consider the risks and challenges associated with the technology. Ensuring the social acceptability of AI among City Council, staff and residents is also essential.

The City of Burlington is at the forefront of safe and effective AI adoption. It provides a model for municipalities across Canada. Chad MacDonald, the Executive Director, Digital Service, and Chief Information Officer of Burlington joins us to discuss the City's experience with artificial intelligence and what comes next in the municipal context.

You can catch up on the first two episodes of our miniseries on AI by clicking the links below:

Episode 81: Artificial Intelligence Regulation and Innovation in Canada

Episode 79: Artificial Intelligence Regulation Around the World

The StrategyCorp Institute continues its miniseries on artificial intelligence by looking at the Canadian context.

We discuss the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act in bill C-27 and the federal government's overall approach to regulating AI. We also explore Canada's leadership in AI, how companies are adopting the technology and whether it will lead to greater productivity.

Christelle Tessono and Viet Vu from The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University join us for this timely conversation. 

Curious to also learn about how other countries are regulating AI? Listen to the first instalment  of our miniseries with the Director of the Center for Data Innovation Daniel Castro.  

Canada is undergoing a transformation in how we manage our waste. Transitioning to a circular economy that extends the life cycle of products and reduces waste can have significant environmental benefits. To be successful, this transition requires the right policies, investments and infrastructures. Individuals, businesses and governments ultimately all have a role to play. In this episode, StrategyCorp's Elena Mantagaris and Fraser MacDonald provide their insight on the key dimensions of the circular economy. 

Read StrategyCorp's circular economy newsletter for more information on this topic: https://strategycorp.com/2024/02/strategycorp-february-newsletter-from-trash-to-cash/  

The launch of ChatGPT has forced organizations and institutions across the economy to ask themselves what generative AI means for them in terms of risks and opportunities. Governments and regulators find themselves asking similar questions. Artificial intelligence "going mainstream" because of ChatGPT accelerated regulatory efforts and shaped the policy and political conversation on AI.  

 The Director of the Center for Data Innovation Daniel Castro joins us on the podcast to discuss how countries around the world are going about regulating artificial intelligence and stimulating innovation. He provides his insight on the different approaches to AI in Europe, Asia and North America.

Le transport en commun est essentiel pour permettre aux gens de se déplacer d'un point A à un point B. Il joue aussi un rôle crucial dans la lutte contre les changements climatiques. Dans cet épisode, l'Institut de StrategyCorp aborde le sujet de la mobilité et des infrastructures de transport en commun. Catherine Morency, professeure à Polytechnique Montréal, et Philippe Couillard, conseiller principal à StrategyCorp, partagent leurs points de vue sur les bénéfices du transport en commun, l'acceptabilité sociale des projets et comment éviter les retards et les dépassements de coûts. Ils discutent également des facteurs nécessaires pour créer des communautés axées sur le transport en commun.

Federal and provincial governments across Canada have been recording budget deficits for several years, which is raising concerns around their financial capacity in a time of heightened uncertainty.

Deficits and debt can get very political with opposition parties often attacking governments on their management of public finances. However, the financial market tends to look at government finances through a different lens and focuses on the ability to repay debt obligations. Credit rating agencies play an important role in this ecosystem by rating issuers.

To learn more about how credit rating agencies look at current financial situation of governments in Canada, StrategyCorp welcomed on the podcast Travis Shaw, Morningstar DBRS' Senior Vice President & Sector Lead for Global Sovereign Ratings.

Public transportation is essential to enable people to move from point A to point B. It also plays a crucial role in the fight against climate change. In this episode, the StrategyCorp Institute looks at the topic of mobility and public transit infrastructures. University of Toronto Professor Shoshanna Saxe and StrategyCorp Senior Advisor Philippe Couillard provide their insights on the benefits of public transportation, the social acceptability of projects, transit-oriented communities and how to finance new infrastructures in an era of fiscal restraint. They also share their thoughts on what can be done to limit project delays and budget overruns.

The StrategyCorp Institute begins the ninth season of Intended Consequences with an extensive conversation on the state of entrepreneurship in Canada. The CEO of Startup Canada, Kayla Isabelle, joins us to discuss the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurs face amid significant uncertainty. She highlights the important role women-identifying and Indigenous entrepreneurs play in the economy. The episode also looks at a variety of top-of-mind issues for business leaders including talent, digital adoption and international trade.

Our year-in-review and look-ahead episode is back to close out this season of Intended Consequences. Our StrategyCorp guests discuss the most important developments of 2023 at all levels of government and their significance for Canadian politics and economics. They also share with us what they will be keeping an eye on in 2024 and why. 

Convened under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP28 will take place in Dubai between November 30th and December 12th. The event is expected to bring together over 70,000 delegates from all over the world. Delegates will include politicians, civil servants, non-government organizations, industry, Indigenous stakeholders and many others.

A wide array of issues will be discussed at COP28. To help us get ready for the event, we were joined by Lorraine Audsley, Senior Vice-President and Chief Risk and Sustainability Officer at Export Development Canada, and Patricia Fuller, Senior Advisor at StrategyCorp and Canada's former ambassador for climate change. Our guests shared their thoughts on why COPs still matter, climate finance, what to watch for and how delegates can make the most of the conference.

Enjoy a special episode of Intended Consequences. On November 23, the StrategyCorp Institute hosted a live webinar on Canada's energy transition journey. Our panel of experts looked at how Canada can achieve its energy and climate goals and thrive. Panelists provided their insight into what this transition and the broader electrification of the economy means from the perspective of power generation, distribution, demand and social acceptability. 

Ontario faces severe housing affordability challenges on both the homeownership and the rental sides. The current conditions have significant impacts across the entire housing sector, including non-profit housing. StrategyCorp released in October its first Ontario Non-Profit Housing CEO Survey which brought to light the most pressing challenges and opportunities faced by the sector.

Intended Consequences welcomed three experts to talk about the report and non-profit housing. Marlene Coffey is the CEO of the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association. Lori-Anne Gagne is the CEO of Victoria Park Community Homes and Stéphane Giguère is the CEO of Ottawa Community Housing.

After winning a majority on May 29th, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP returned to the provincial legislature for the fall sitting. The session began with a Throne Speech that outlined the priorities of the Premier and the tense relationship between Alberta and the federal government.

From energy to affordability to infrastructure, the Throne Speech touched on several topics of importance to Albertans, businesses, municipalities and Indigenous communities. Three Alberta-based experts join the podcast to unpack the Speech and what comes next. Our guests include Dale Swampy, President of the National Coalition of Chiefs, Jeff Davison, a former Calgary City Councillor and the current CEO of the Prostate Cancer Centre and Elan Harper, a Vice President at StrategyCorp.

As interest rates rise, countries are increasingly worried about their debt. For commodity-producing states, the impact of the energy transition on their revenues is top of mind. How can jurisdictions navigate these challenging circumstances to ensure the long-term financial prosperity of their economy and population? Sovereign wealth funds can be part of the answer.

Elena Mantagaris, a Senior Advisor at StrategyCorp, and Matthew Bianco, a former Managing Director at CPP Investments, join the podcast to discuss the key drivers and principles that should guide sovereign wealth funds. They make the case that Canada would benefit from establishing a sovereign wealth fund.

From extreme weather events to fiscal pressures, municipalities across Canada are facing a wide array of challenges. Having quality municipal management has never been this essential and it often begins with City Managers.

Using the book The Role of Canadian City Managers: In Their Own Words as a starting point, three former City Managers and senior Ontario government executives join this episode. They provide their insight on crucial aspects of the work of City Managers, including managing the relationship with elected officials, building intergovernmental relations and dealing with emergencies related to climate change and public health. Our panelists also discuss the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the municipal context and what it looks like in action.

The Ontario legislature resumes on September 25th. MPPs return to Queen's Park after a uniquely eventful summer in Ontario politics, which sets the stage for a heated fall sitting. Alex Armanious, Fraser MacDonald and Aidan Grove-White join the podcast to analyze what happened during the summer and discuss what to expect this fall.

The current Trump-induced uncertainty is impacting every aspect of the economy, including capital flows. When it gets harder to predict economic patterns, investors become more risk-averse and companies have a harder time accessing capital.

To get a better sense of the capital and funding landscape in Canada, the StrategyCorp Institute invited the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association on the podcast. Adriana Vega, VP of Government Affairs, and David Kornacki, Director of Data and Product, shared their insights on the trends in venture capital and private equity, and on the role government can play to support the sector.

After a busy summer where housing, the cost of living and wildfires dominated headlines, Members of Parliament will return for the fall sitting on September 18th. StrategyCorp has you covered on everything you need to know about how the summer played out for each party and what to expect this fall. Andrew Steele, Garry Keller and Nasha Brownridge discuss what the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP will be focused on in the coming months and the risks they must navigate. 

StrategyCorp partnered with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce to host a live webinar on housing in Atlantic Canada. Amid rising prices, this timely event looked at innovative solutions and the role of the three levels of government in tackling the housing crisis in the Atlantic provinces. Moderated by the CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, Krista Ross, this special episode brought together three expert panelists: New Brunswick's Minister responsible for Housing, Jill Green, the Mayor of Fredericton, Kate Rogers, as well as Aidan Grove-White, a Vice President at StrategyCorp.

As countries around the world strive to reduce carbon emissions, every industry must adapt. In the transportation sector, electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly popular among consumers. However, electrifying other means of transportation is significantly more complicated and will require ambitious innovation. In this latest episode, we look at the aviation sector and how it can do its part in the fight against climate change with Professor Suzanne Kearns, the Founding Director of the Waterloo Institute of Sustainable Aeronautics.

Following the result of the 2023 Alberta election which saw the UCP re-elected with a reduced majority, the StrategyCorp Institute of Public Policy and Economy was pleased to host an impressive panel that discussed the re-election of the UCP with a reduced majority and what comes next for the UCP, the NDP, Albertans and businesses. 

With opening remarks from StrategyCorp's Alberta practice lead Elan Harper, the panel was moderated by Joanne Chianello and included Jen Gerson, Anne McGrath, and Garry Keller.

In this special episode, we're pleased to present the webinar in an audio-only format. 

"Innovation" is a buzzword in policy and financial circles. Every business wants to be innovative and every government strives to stimulate innovation in order to support economic growth. In this episode, we look at innovation in the Canadian context with the President of the Council of Canadian Innovators, Benjamin Bergen. We discuss the state of innovation policy and some of the key tools the federal government should focus on. Benjamin also provides an industry perspective on timely issues such as tax, access to capital, talent and training.

StrategyCorp continues its coverage of the Alberta election by taking a look at the economy of the province. Ann-Marie Lurie, the Chief Economist of the Alberta Real Estate Association, joins us to talk about Alberta's growth and what it means for the economy, the labour market and housing. We discuss the evolution of housing demand and supply in the province and its major urban centres before, during and after the pandemic.

The Alberta election is officially underway! The NDP and the UCP begin this election deadlocked in the polls. Danielle Smith and Rachel Notley have until May 29th to convince Albertans their respective parties should form government. To discuss what to expect in this election and why the rest of Canada should pay close attention, we are joined by Elan Harper and Garry Keller, two Vice Presidents at StrategyCorp.

This week's episode looks at the role of electricity in enabling Canada's transition to net zero by 2050. As policymakers and industry prepare for a greener economy, electrification is top of mind to reduce emissions. Demands for electricity are increasing and concerns around supply are beginning to emerge in some parts of the country.

Francis Bradley, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Electricity Canada joins us on the podcast to discuss important dimensions of electricity such as the role of government, supply and capacity, the power generation mix as well as resilience in light of climate and cyber risks.