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The Case for Canada

The Case for Canada: A Business Data Lab Conference 

Gain expert insights on trade, investment and economic trends — featuring cutting-edge research from top institutions.

Thank you for those who attended our inaugural Business Data Lab Conference: “The Case for Canada”.

Here are some resources from the event:

Presentations:

Photos from Event

The Case for Canada is a one-day conference designed for public officials, economists and academics seeking to deepen their understanding of Canadian business conditions and Canada-U.S. economic ties. Attendees will gain expert insights on key topics such as cross-border trade, investment, productivity and economic prosperity. The event also offers opportunities to explore cutting-edge, experimental research and forecasts from the Business Data Lab, the Bank of Canada and Statistics Canada. Through meaningful discussions and knowledge sharing, the conference seeks to advance data-driven decision-making to shape Canada’s economic future. 


Registration


Ticket Type Price (pre-taxes and service fees)
Reception – Member $39
Reception – Non-member $49
Conference (including Reception) – Member $74
Conference (including Reception) – Non-member $99

Agenda



Date: March 26 & 27, 2025 | Ottawa, ON 
Time and Location:

  • March 26 (Reception): 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (TCC Canada, 150 Elgin Street, 8th floor, Ottawa) 
  • March 27 (Conference): 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Bayview Yards, 7 Bayview Station Road, Ottawa) 

All times are in Eastern Time (ET).


5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Networking Reception

  • Emcee by Patrick Gill, Vice President, Operations & Partnerships, Business Data Lab, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
  • Welcome Remarks by Candace Laing, President & CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce  
  • Ottawa Economic Scorecard by Sueling Ching, CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade
   

All times are in Eastern Time (ET).

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. 

Opening Remarks

  • Emcee by Marwa Abdou, Sr. Research Director, Business Data Lab, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
  • Anil Arora, Former Chief Statistician of Canada
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 

Economic Outlook for Canada

Presentation:

  • Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Fireside Chat:

  • Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce 
  • Dawn Desjardin, Chief Economist, Deloitte 
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. 

Canada-U.S. Economic Ties and the Impact of Tariffs

Presentation:

  • Andrew DiCapua, Senior Economist, Business Data Lab, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Panel:

Moderator: Joanne Smith, Reporter, The Logic

Panellists:

  • Meredith Lilly, Professor, Carleton University
  • Andrew DiCapua, Senior Economist, Business Data Lab, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 

Networking Break


11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. 

Nowcasting/Forecasting Business Conditions

Presentation:

  • Trevor Tombe, Professor, University of Calgary’s Department of Economics & Director, Fiscal & Economic Policy, The School of Public Policy

Moderator: Joanne Smith, Reporter, The Logic

Panellist: 

  • Trevor Tombe, Professor, University of Calgary’s Department of Economics & Director, Fiscal & Economic Policy, The School of Public Policy
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

Lunch with Fireside Chat

  • Chad Bown, Sr. Fellow at the Peterson Institute, Former Chief Economist at U.S. State Department under Biden Administration
  • Candace Laing, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Session Discussion: Internal Trade

  • Jay Barber, Director of Internal Trade, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada


2:15 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. 

Closing Remarks

  • Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Thank You to Our Sponsors

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