Productivity and People

Canada’s lagging productivity is one of the most significant challenges facing the country. Productivity, the efficiency with which inputs are converted into outputs, is a cornerstone of economic performance. Today, Canada’s productivity sits 30 percent below that of the United States and is sixth out of the seven countries in the G7.

Historically, a region’s competitive advantage was shaped by its access to natural resources, such as timber, oil, or iron ore, as well as its proximity to trade routes, which fueled economic growth through extraction, manufacturing, and commerce. However, over the past four decades, the foundation of economic success has shifted toward human capital—the collective knowledge, skills, and abilities of a workforce. Numerous factors are influencing Canada’s productivity, including inadequate capital investment and an unfavourable business environment. However, boosting productivity starts with people.

The Productivity Project is a multidisciplinary team of experts from academia, industry, and policy. This project examines the impact of human capital on Canada’s productivity, addressing a key question: How can Canada foster productivity growth by optimizing its human capital?

The Productivity Project is a collaboration among the LearningCITIES Lab, the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research, the Canada West Foundation, and the Institute for Community Prosperity.

Series 1 – Productivity and People encompasses six reports that explore the relationship between human capital and productivity.

Report 1 - Productivity and People: Exploring Human Capital's Role in Productivity

Report 2 - The Coming Storm: The Eight Forces Reshaping Regional Labour Markets

Report 3 - Unlocking Productivity: The Human Capital Supply Chain

Report 4 - Untapped Potential: Mapping the Open Learning System

Report 5 - Finding People: A Risk Management View of Hiring

Report 6 - Path to Open Learning: A Policy Framework for Enabling Incumbents and Empowering New Entrants

All six reports in Series 1 are coming in September 2025.

The Productivity Project welcomes educators, community partners, employers and learners. If you would like to participate, please contact Dr. David Finch, the Productivity Project Director, at dfinch@mtroyal.ca.