January 29, 2013
New Mowat Centre research on Ontario’s economy released in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
Toronto – The Ontario Chamber of Commerce, along with its research partner, the Mowat Centre at the University of Toronto, have released a new report, detailing a proposed economic agenda for the province.
The report consolidates a number of key recommendations from both the Drummond Commission and the Jobs and Prosperity Council and incorporates new research findings to present policy recommendations that are expected to have broad appeal among all Ontario political parties.
Allan O’Dette, CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce says that their 60,000 members have sent a clear message: Ontario is still open for business and for new economic opportunities. The business community is looking to the provincial government to support a policy environment that is most conducive to economic prosperity.
“We are confident that Ontario has all the assets to prosper, but we need to act collectively, strategically, and with purpose,” says O’Dette.
“Ontario is facing a global economic restructuring that is affecting advanced economies around the world. The models that worked for Ontario 20 years ago are unlikely to work in the future. We need to make the right policy choices today to build the next era of prosperity for Ontario,” said Matthew Mendelsohn, Director of the Mowat Centre.
Dave Shultz, Vice President of Leger Marketing, says that business sentiment is very much in a ‘glass half-full’ position in the province right now.
While bullish in general on the economy, business owners nonetheless pointed to several policy areas that they felt would be instrumental in stimulating higher rates of economic growth.
Among the proposals in the report: enabling better access to capital for start-up businesses, opening up more government services to alternative delivery, utilizing Ontario’s large immigrant population to grow exports; and, allowing more Ontario workers to participate in federally funded employment training and re-training programs.
Read the full report
