Century Initiative

🎉 We're proud to share that our National Scorecard website has been awarded Gold in the Interactivity category at the 2025 Hermes Creative Awards. This international recognition reflects our commitment to making complex, data-driven insights accessible, interactive, and actionable for policymakers, business leaders, and Canadians across the country. The National Scorecard is a critical tool that tracks Canada’s progress toward long-term prosperity—covering key indicators from economic growth and innovation to population health and inclusion. Designed to inform decisions and spark action, it now also stands out as a model of digital public policy engagement. 👏 Congratulations to our team and partners for their creative and strategic work in bringing this platform to life. Boaz Beeri Madelaine Sawyers Jon Medow Sara D. Aarti Motala Claudia Galindo Victoria Barford Patricia Mangeol Stephanie Procyk #HermesCreativeAwards #DigitalEngagement #DataForImpact #PolicyInnovation #CenturyInitiative #SmartGrowth https://lnkd.in/eG7uJek

The federal government has announced a $37 billion child care funding agreement with the provinces and territories—an investment that goes beyond affordability. Accessible, high-quality child care is a cornerstone of economic growth, gender equity, and long-term prosperity. -Workforce Participation – Affordable child care allows more parents, especially women, to enter and stay in the workforce, boosting economic productivity. -Talent & Population Growth – With demographic challenges ahead, supporting families is key to attracting and retaining workers in Canada. -Stronger Communities – Investing in early childhood education leads to better long-term social and economic outcomes. Century Initiative has long advocated for policies that support smart, responsible population growth—and child care is a critical piece of that puzzle. This funding is a step in the right direction, but ensuring accessibility, quality, and workforce capacity in the child care sector remains an ongoing challenge. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gJKYn8Jc What are your thoughts on this investment? How do you see it shaping Canada’s future? Let’s discuss. 👇 #ChildCare #EconomicGrowth #FutureOfCanada #PopulationPolicy #SmartGrowth

The federal government announced that health care, education, and trades workers will be prioritized for immigration in 2025—critical sectors facing urgent labor shortages across the country. At Century Initiative, we have long advocated for a smart, planned approach to population growth—one that aligns immigration levels with labor market needs, ensures strong integration supports, and contributes to Canada’s long-term economic prosperity. Why this matters: ✅ Health care: Addressing gaps in hospitals, long-term care, and home care. ✅ Education: Supporting the next generation of students with skilled educators. ✅ Trades: Accelerating infrastructure and housing development to meet growing demand. This is a step in the right direction, but long-term success requires comprehensive workforce planning, better credential recognition, and investments in housing and infrastructure to support population growth. We must keep building for the future—ensuring that newcomers can thrive and contribute fully to Canada’s economy and communities. 🔗 Read more about the latest immigration priorities here: https://lnkd.in/gDMiCx7y What do you think? How can Canada better align immigration policies with labor force needs? #Immigration #WorkforceDevelopment #PopulationGrowth #CenturyInitiative #SmartGrowth

In her latest Toronto Star article, Lisa Lalande, CEO of Century Initiative, warns that Canada is entering the economic fight of our lives—unprepared. At a time when five million Canadians are set to retire by the end of the decade, reducing immigration levels is a high-stakes gamble. A new report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer highlights the consequences: by 2027, 1.3 billion fewer hours worked and a $37 billion reduction in nominal GDP. This will shrink our tax base, weaken our economic resilience, reduce access to the public services Canadians rely on, and threaten our national security. Century Initiative is calling for bold, smart growth strategies to ensure Canada’s long-term prosperity and sovereignty. Now is the time to think bigger and plan for the future. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g5DU53wq #SmartGrowth #FutureofCanada #ImmigrationPolicy #Economy

There’s a common misconception that increasing Canada’s population is just about numbers. It’s not. Growth without strategic investment in housing, healthcare, and education doesn’t serve anyone. At Century Initiative, we advocate for smart, responsible growth—ensuring that economic and population strategies are backed by the investments that matter most to Canadians. That means: ✅ A strong healthcare system that meets demand ✅ Affordable and accessible housing ✅ A well-funded education system to prepare future generations 🎙️ In this clip in the The Conference Board of Canada's Economic Matters podcast, Lisa Lalande discusses why a well-planned, long-term approach to growth is critical for Canada’s prosperity. 💡 What do you think? How do we ensure growth strategies align with these priorities? Let’s discuss. 👇 #SmartGrowth #CanadaFuture #Immigration #EconomicProsperity

In the The Conference Board of Canada's latest Economics Matters podcast, Lisa Lalande and Pedro A. discuss the drastically shifting immigration numbers in Canada and how a lack of planning is holding the country back. Listen to the podcast at the link here: https://bit.ly/4haLdhi.

Happy New Year! As 2024 comes to an end, one thing is clear: the conversations around immigration and Canada's future will only grow louder. We look forward to continuing to lead these discussions, offering bold, actionable ideas that champion responsible economic growth for all Canadians.

From everyone at Century Initiative, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season. As we reflect on the year, we’re grateful for the many opportunities to contribute to a shared vision of a bigger, bolder Canada.

Rising housing costs, long wait times for healthcare and overcrowded schools. No Canadian family feels these pressures in isolation. And we can’t afford to think about them in isolation either. In the Growing Smarter framework, Century Initiative advocates for an integrated approach that scales up our ability to support growth, through investments in housing, roads, transit, and other enabling infrastructure is thus imperative. Building these communities is key to ensuring population growth strengthens our collective future, not strains it. Learn more about the importance of planning for inclusive and sustainable communities through integrated approaches in Century Initiative’s smart-growth framework here: https://lnkd.in/geJYzFtU #CenturyInitiative #InclusiveCommunities #Sustainability #SmartGrowth

Immigration cuts have a cost, and we need governments to think creatively about decisions that will make us more competitive to offset those cuts. Political instability and accumulation of excessive debt worsen the problem. Read our full statement in response to the federal Fall Economic Statement below. https://lnkd.in/gaQ6-bsx