By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist Canada is sitting on $7.4 trillion worth of fixed assets, yet we’re still grappling with a housing crisis and sluggish productivity. With more than half of our physical capital tied up in residential buildings, it’s time to ask:...
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #178: The North Needs More
The more work we do to break down the stigma around mental health in construction, the more we realize how woefully under-resourced mental health services are in B.C. and across the country. Government just hasn’t take this issue seriously enough. It’s a sentiment...
ICBA ECONOMICS: Growing Wear and Tear on Canada’s Public Infrastructure
By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist In the last decade, the quality and adequacy of Canada’s public infrastructure has been attracting more attention. Recent high profile “failures” of key infrastructure services in Calgary and Montreal have been front-page news....
TRAINING THURSDAY: Understanding Self-Care: More Than Just a Buzzword (Webinar)
https://youtu.be/Dm1M2cw2ipk Kerry and Jordan talk about ICBA’s latest featured course – and it’s free! Understanding Self-Care: More Than Just a Buzzword (Webinar) Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 | 11AM – Noon Pacific Live Online | FREE!...
ICBA OP/ED: Green energy hype isn’t backed by the data
The following piece, written by ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson and Business Council of B.C.'s Denise Mullen, first ran on Troy Media on Nov.19, 2024. A common narrative these days holds that the world is in the midst of an epic energy transition. However, the...
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #177: Corey Hirsch in Prince George
The Prince George Citizen ran a great feature story on ICBA Wellness Ambassador Corey Hirsch, after his recent visit there. This excerpt sums up perfectly what we are trying to accomplish with ICBA Wellness: “The two main things I try to get across is if you need...
ICBA ECONOMICS: Some Priorities for the New B.C. Cabinet
By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist Confronted with a string of record budget deficits, a soaring provincial debt, and a business community that lacks confidence in much of its policy agenda, the re-elected NDP government has the urgent task of recalibrating its...
ICBA OP/ED – Economic Growth is the Only Way Out of B.C.’s Mess
By Chris Gardner, Chief Executive Officer, ICBA This week, Premier David Eby unveiled his new cabinet. These appointments are usually accompanied by marching orders from the Premier setting out the goals each minister is expected to focus on in the years ahead. This...
ICBA ECONOMICS: Canada’s Productivity Decline: A Call for Action
Earlier this year, a senior Bank of Canada official described Canada’s stagnant productivity as an “emergency.” ICBA’s Chief Economist, Jock Finlayson, has analyzed this growing concern and outlined practical solutions in his latest report. From 2019 to 2023, Canada’s...