A recent Benefits Benchmarking report by The Conference Board of Canada shows some improvement in mental health benefits: 54.4% of organizations have increased their psychological health service coverage since the pandemic. The report also shows that most companies...
By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist Canada is a mid-sized economy, responsible for less than 2% of global production of goods and services โ a proportion that has fallen gently over the past two decades. Closer to home, we represent approximately 8% of all...
Kerry and Jordan recap the ICBA Construction Innovation Summit (no need to welcome our robot overlords quite yet) and highlight ICBA’s latest featured course! The Nuts and Bolts of Buildersโ Liens (Live Online) 1.5 BC Housing CPD Points Friday, November 17, 2023...
We go coast-to-coast in this episode, as ICBA BC’s Jordan Bateman and Merit Nova Scotia’s Paul Dubรฉ discuss the Construction Innovation Summit, housing affordability, and the carbon tax. They explore the potential of AI in the construction industry and the...
Inflation and financial stress is taking a serious toll onย Canadians’ mental health says a new RBC study โ and itโs affecting every generation. A staggering 72% of Canadians report that money worries are constantly on their minds. This stress cuts across...
Kitchen Talk with Jock Jordan Bateman gets 3% smarter every time he talks economics in the ICBA kitchen with our Chief Economist Jock Finlayson. So why not let everyone in on our conversation? Today, we talk inflation, interest rates, energy and productivity. See ICBAIndependent.ca for all of Jockโs writingsโฆ ... See MoreSee Less
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #159: Calgaryโs Wellness DeskICBA Wellness has been running for more than three years now, and our commitment to our award-winning program has kept us very busy. But there are many other organizations and groups doing amazing things in mental health, and worth noting.Recently, I heard about the Calgary Public Libraryโs Wellness Desk. Operated at three library branches โ and funded by the city and private donors โ the Wellness Desk offers free access to mental health and addictions support, health information, and referral to services by calling or texting with a mental health professional.It has been very successful: โThe desks have seen an increase in demand by 110 per cent overall from 2023 to 2024, with growth at the Central Library going from 61 per cent over that same period to 110 percent from February of this year on.โThe wellness desk program has been staffed by Woodโs Homes counsellors.Might be something to bring to British Columbia?--------Each week, ICBAโs Jordan Bateman reflects on what weโve learned as we participate in ICBAโs Workplace Wellness Program. ICBAโs Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 100 companies and more than 10,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members โ check out icba.ca/wellness for details. ... See MoreSee Less
The following op/ed, co-written by ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson and Business Council of B.C. Chief Economist Ken Peacock, was first published in Business in Vancouver on July 17, 2024. The prov...
๐จ Attention Canadian Oil and Gas Supporters ๐จAre you aware of the impact of Ottawa's regulatory measures on our sector? The Fraser Institute's latest study reveals how heavy regulations are driving down investments in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas. Business investment in these sectors has dropped by 52.1% since 2014, affecting our industry's growth and Canada's economic prosperity.We all need to understand the challenges we face. Read the full report to see how we can advocate for a more investment-friendly regulatory environment.๐ Read it at ... See MoreSee Less
Business investment is a foundational requirement for a prosperous economy. It provides the resources to establish new companies, expand existing ones, and invest in new factories, machinery, and tech...
๐ Did you know that Canada's productivity over the past 4 years has diminished slightly, while growing by a hefty 6% in the United States over the same period?