In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained , host Marwa Abdou sits down with Avi Goldfarb—Rotman Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare at the University of Toronto, and co-author of Prediction Machines and Power and Prediction . Goldfarb is one of the world’s leading economists on the business implications of AI. Together, they examine why Canada, despite its early leadership in AI research, is lagging in adoption. Goldfarb explains that AI’s real power isn’t automation—it’s predic...
Jun 24, 2025•37 min•Ep. 10
In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained , host Marwa Abdou explores Canada’s pivotal role as G7 and B7 president in 2025 and the country’s opportunity to lead on AI adoption and sustainability. Joining her are Tom Mosseau and Franco Amalfi from Capgemini Canada—a global consulting and technology firm—who break down the challenges and possibilities facing Canadian businesses. Tom Mosseau points out that “legacy infrastructure, skills shortages, and investment hesitancy” continue to slow do...
Jun 10, 2025•29 min•Ep. 9
In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained , host Marwa Abdou brings us insights from the inaugural Business Data Lab conference, The Case for Canada. Trust—once the invisible foundation of commerce and governance—is now fractured, with only 62% of Canadians expressing moderate or high trust in institutions, according to Edelman’s Trust Barometer. Former Statistics Canada Chief Anil Arora opened with a strong statement: “Good data...is an investment in building trust.” The episode features a...
Jun 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 8
In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained , host Marwa Abdou sits down with Dr. Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary and Director at the School of Public Policy. Tombe discusses the widening fiscal divide between Canada and the United States and what it means for Canada's economy, trade, and future stability. While Canada’s federal deficit stands at 1.6% of GDP, the U.S. deficit has ballooned to 6.2%, creating real risks for global markets. Tombe explains that C...
May 13, 2025•39 min•Ep. 7
In this episode, host Marwa Abdou speaks with Dawn Desjardins, Chief Economist at Deloitte Canada, about the country's fragile economic outlook for 2025. Desjardins shares insights from Deloitte’s Calm Before the Storm report, which highlights falling interest rates, stable inflation, and household savings as economic supports — while new U.S. tariffs and slowing immigration policies introduce serious risks. Desjardins warns that a potential 25% U.S. tariff on Canadian exports could cost the ave...
Apr 22, 2025•26 min•Ep. 6
In this episode of Canada’s Economy, Explained , host Marwa Abdou sits down with Dr. Chad P. Bown, Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of State, to examine how new U.S. tariffs could impact Canada’s economy. Bown explains how Canada’s deep ties to U.S. supply chains leave it exposed to major cost increases, warning that tariffs could “double or triple” production expenses and hit smaller suppliers ha...
Apr 14, 2025•29 min•Ep. 5
This episode explores Canada’s gender gap in entrepreneurship with Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO of the Business Development Bank of Canada, and tackles the systemic barriers women face—especially in accessing capital. Drawing from BDL’s new report, Women Entrepreneurs: Canada’s Biggest Missed Business Opportunity , the discussion reveals why women still own just 18% of Canadian businesses despite a $2 billion government push to double that by 2025. “Access to capital is probably one of the ...
Mar 25, 2025•29 min•Ep. 4
U.S. tariffs threaten Canada’s economy and will put industries, jobs, and supply chains at risk. According to the Business Data Lab, $3.6 billion in goods and services cross the border daily as part of our $1.3 trillion trade relationship. Trump's 25% tariff on goods could shrink Canada’s GDP by a whopping 2.6%. Mairead Lavery, former President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC), talks with host Marwa Abdou about the fallout and what businesses must do next. The first woman to lead EDC, ...
Mar 05, 2025•26 min•Ep. 3
This episode of The Business Data Lab Podcast explores Canada’s “productivity emergency” and why the country ranks second-lowest in the G7 for labour productivity. Host Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director, and Andrew DiCapua, Economist at the BDL, break down the challenges—from 11 consecutive quarters of negative productivity growth to underinvestment in technology and an overreliance on low-productivity sectors. “Canada is leaving untapped potential on the table,” Marwa says in the episode. “...
Feb 05, 2025•23 min•Ep. 2
In this episode of Canada’s Economy Explained: The Business Data Lab Podcast , host Marwa Abdou speaks with Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, and Patrick Gill, Senior Director, about the key economic predictions shaping Canada in 2025. The conversation covers affordability pressures, labour disruptions, immigration slowdowns, and the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs. Affordability remains a top concern, even as inflation stabilizes at 2 percent. “We’ve lived through a generational price increase...
Feb 05, 2025•19 min•Ep. 1
Welcome to The Business Data Lab Podcast: Canada's Economy, Explained. An initiative of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Hosted by Senior Research Director Marwa Abdou, this podcast features insightful discussions with economists and business leaders. Listen in for deep, expert analysis of Canada's top economic trends to help you make sense of the numbers.
Feb 05, 2025•2 min
