Critical Next Steps to Ensure Canada’s Future Competitiveness

March, 2023

Canada needs a smart response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan. This will require more than just subsidies in the same old industries: we must make sure that the public money that has already been offered is used wisely to develop supply chains and attract the private funding required to compete. To achieve this, Canada needs a net-zero industrial policy that will help it strategically compete in sectors where it has substantial economic potential in order to develop a prosperous future.

Critical Next Steps to Ensure Canada’s Future Competitiveness looks at key elements of a net zero economy and how to set effective strategic goals for public-private partnerships to build economic prosperity. The global net-zero challenge is no longer just about emissions—it is the dominant global driver of future competitiveness.

About the Authors

Bentley Allan, PhD

Transition Pathway Principal

Bentley Allan, PhD, is a Transition Pathway Principal at the Transition Accelerator, as well as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Allan is an award-winning scholar who has written on the dynamics of international order, science and politics, climate policy, and the political economy of decarbonization. He provides regular advice to government and industry on geopolitics, industrial strategy, and policy.

He has co-lead the development of three sector strategies and roadmaps in collaboration with industry partners. He is the co-coordinator of the Centre for Net-Zero Industrial Policy which advances research and action to strengthen and mobilize Canada’s expertise in modern industrial policy, enabling strategic collaboration between government, industry, indigenous communities, labor, and financial institutions in pursuit of good jobs and a competitive economy.

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Derek Eaton, PhD

Director of Future Economy

Director of Future Economy at the Transition Accelerator, Derek Eaton is an economist with more than 30 years of experience in developing policy insights and recommendations to integrate sustainability into decision-making. Derek’s global career has ranged across the energy, agriculture, food, water, trade, investment, finance and innovation sectors. His professional focus has centered on understanding how economic change and transformation take place. He brings valuable insights from his experience working for the UN, government, research organizations, universities, think tanks and consulting spanning the research, policy and practice interface.

Prior to joining the Transition Accelerator, Derek was Senior Director of Public Policy Research at the Smart Prosperity Institute. Some of his previous positions include Principal Consultant, Technopolis Group (the Netherlands); VP Research, the Global Footprint Network (Oakland, CA and Switzerland); Executive Director, Centre for International Environmental Studies, Graduate Institute (Geneva), Green Economy Research Lead, United Nations Environment Programme (Geneva). Derek holds a PhD in Economics from Wageningen University, Netherlands.

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Cite as: Allan B. and Eaton D. (2023). Critical Next Steps to Ensure Canada’s Future Competitiveness. Transition Accelerator. Version 1.