Charles Finley

New report from the 2024 Confederation of Tomorrow survey: Canadians are more likely to disapprove than approve of how each of their governments (federal, provincial and municipal) is managing the supply of affordable housing. In no province do more than one in three approve of the federal, their provincial or their municipal government’s management of this issue. See all the details here 👉

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Applications for Cohort 3 of the i.d.e.a. Fund program are now open! With funding from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario | Agence fédérale de ...(FedDev Ontario), five Regional Innovation Centres, including Innovate Niagara have combined efforts to offer selected businesses the opportunity to re-work their products, services, processes, and technologies to focus on reducing impact on the environment. This includes mentorship support to grow and accelerate their business. If you are an incorporated business located in southern Ontario, with high growth potential, and have fewer than 500 employees, you might qualify. What can your business receive if you are selected? • Non-repayable seed funding of up to $20,000, with matching funds • Up to 30 hours of fully funded, targeted support from business leaders Think your business is a good fit? Apply for Cohort 3 before September 30, 2024. https://lnkd.in/e6Rpi8D8

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So back in 2017, quite literally on a dare, a team of 6 people decided to run FWD50 in Ottawa. I did NOT have "be a free library of hundreds of public sector innovation talks" on my Bingo card. But here we are. Since 2020, we've also been recording, captioning, and publishing our talks. In 2023, our best-attended workshop happened online—with over 850 participants. If you're wondering how AI might impact your job in the public sector, you should watch it. It's called "How to use AI tools for your work in government," from our amazing partners at Apolitical. https://lnkd.in/eeZ5gspA AI is transforming the public service, and this just one of many talks full of practical knowledge about service design thinking, AI, team culture, data privacy, and more. Did I mention this was free? In 7 years, FWD50 has become not just an event where the people building tomorrow’s government go to learn, connect, and recharge; it's also become a great community (I got to see some of them on recent trips to DC, San Francisco, and London!) Anyway, new drop. #ai #machinelearning #publicservice #FWD50 #digitalgovernment

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At Blueprint, we are relentless champions of people-centered, data-driven, evidence-informed policy and practice. To that end, this past February, we convened the #BetterEvidence24 Conference in Ottawa.  We brought together over 200 leaders from government, academia, and the nonprofit sector to co-create a vision to “put data to work” to drive stronger outcomes for individuals, families and communities across Canada.  As the CEO of Blueprint , I was proud to convene such a deeply committed group of expert panelists and participants.  Today we released a report that shares key takeaways. https://bit.ly/3xgqfMu  Here’s a flavour of what’s inside our report:   - Evidence helps us make informed decisions in complex situations, strengthen delivery via feedback loops, and accelerate progress toward solving our toughest policy challenges.  - But, if evidence is a decisionmaker’s superpower, it is one that is chronically underutilized.  -To ensure policy outcomes match policy intent, we need make more frequent use of evidence, tightening the links between policy objectives, program design and service delivery.  -This means taking a whole-of-society, systems lens and using evidence to identify needs and understand what mix of policies, programs and services are best suited to meet them.  - Once decisions are made, we need to use data in real time to monitor implementation. Where are we making progress? Where are we stalling? How can we improve? Are there unintended consequences, or do changing circumstances require us to adapt?  In this way, we can move from administering programs to leading missions in service of specific outcomes for people across Canada. None of this is easy, but it will be worth it. As Public Services and Procurement Canada | Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has said, “data and evidence play a key role in producing the best outcomes for Canadians.” Our report offers practical guidance on how to move forward.   I urge you to share this report widely with networks engaged in policymaking. The stakes are high: nothing less than enhancing public trust and securing greater prosperity for Canada. I look forward to continuing the conversation. #PublicPolicy #BetterEvidenceBetterData #PuttingDataToWork #cdnpoli 

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With this piece I begin to explore how, by harnessing the full power of the private sector and embracing the right public policy choices, we can make Canada’s economy into a true global productivity leader. ”… the government does not micro-manage anyone’s day-to-day operations. Rather, it enacts broadly useful policies that provide for equality of opportunity, rather than pursuing the illusion of equality of outcome. This way, the entire economic pie can grow larger for everyone. What we must avoid is having an economic pie that doesn’t grow, leading to depressing scenarios where competing interest groups fight over shattered crusts and crumbs.” https://lnkd.in/geZtUKug #productivity #innovation #canada #publicpolicy

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Earlier this year Blueprint brought together bright minds, bold leaders, and a room full of engaged, passionate people committed to learning, sharing and creating better evidence to guide public policy and generate better outcomes for everyone. Want to know what they talked about and learned together? Now you can with the release of a new, hot-off-the-press report that captures all of that and more. Check it out at www.blueprint-ADE.ca #policy #leadership #conference

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"The Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) has released a new report that underscores the pressing need to strengthen B.C.’s public finances. Titled B.C.’s Deteriorating Fiscal Position: Cause for Concern, the report details record deficits, rising debt levels, and repeated credit rating downgrades—signals that a shift toward greater fiscal responsibility is urgently needed. The release of this report comes on the heels of the swearing-in of a new provincial cabinet, highlighting the significant challenges facing the new team as they take office. The report reveals that B.C. is set to run the largest operating deficit relative to its economy among Canadian provinces in 2024/25, with a projected shortfall of 2.1 per cent of GDP—exceeding levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The deficit, along with significant capital spending, will see taxpayer-supported debt climb to 28.8 per cent of GDP by 2026/27. The cost of servicing provincial debt now consumes an amount equivalent to half of B.C.’s K-12 school education budget. By 2026/27, this burden is projected to cost approximately $600 per British Columbian annually. “The new cabinet has a critical opportunity to address these issues head-on,” says David Williams, BCBC’s Vice President of Policy. “The choices made by the government will determine whether B.C. can regain a sustainable fiscal footing and secure its economic future.” The Business Council is urging the provincial government to adopt a fiscal anchor—a clear framework to guide overall spending and borrowing decisions. Proposed anchors could include, within a defined timeframe: Returning to a balanced budget; Returning taxpayer-supported debt to no more than 20 per cent of GDP; or Reducing debt servicing costs to 3-4 per cent of total government expenditures." #bcbudget #economy #prosperity

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Thanks Tara Deschamps for covering this important story!

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** Please share widely ** ** Funding Opportunity ** The Funder Collaborative has just opened a new round of call for proposals for this Fall. Applications from non-profit organizations based in GTA and focused on workforce development are due on October 18, 2024. The focus continues to be on systems change within workforce development. We will offer grants of up to $250K for up to 3 years. Please review the RFP for different funding streams that are available. We are also offering ideation calls. Schedule them here: https://lnkd.in/g-jUEyfE And, we are offering a webinar to share more information about the funding on September 17 at 2 pm. You can register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/gGPPDVwJ If you have additional questions, please feel free to DM either me or Anshika. #funding #gta #workforcedevelopment #systemschange #WorkforceFunderCollaborative

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NEW from ICTC-CTIC: How can Nova Scotia meet its net-zero goals? Allison Clark and Todd Legere spoke to 14 industry leaders to develop key recommendations: 💨 Nova Scotia already possesses many of the skills needed for offshore wind and hydrogen production, both high-potential growth areas for the province. By leveraging the transferable skill sets of workers in the naval sector, offshore oil and gas, and tidal energy, Nova Scotia can accelerate offshore wind energy and other ocean-based clean energy developments—and work-integrated learning (WIL) programs could be the solution. 🎓 Investments in clean energy training and workforce development initiatives are needed to address labour market challenges that currently constrain Nova Scotia’s ability to achieve a net-zero future. This should include continued investments from the province to ensure more training seats in high-demand trades programs. 🤝 Scaling clean energy projects in Nova Scotia will require collective action and collaboration between all government, industry, and community-based stakeholders, particularly in coastal communities impacted by marine renewable energy developments. ⛓️‍💥 Supply chain resiliency related to wind energy should be prioritized, as onshore and offshore wind will be the predominant sources of clean energy for Nova Scotia over the next decade. https://lnkd.in/gdZqVY-n

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Finally had time to have a proper read of RBC's report from a few weeks ago on Canada's Growth Challenge: https://lnkd.in/gbCePTwT It is a well written analysis of a long standing problem. Its recommendations include: - Reduce trade barriers (especially interprovincial barriers) - Better utilize immigrant skills - Improve our tax competitiveness - Increase adoption of new technologies - Capitalize on Canadian strengths It is interesting that it terms of Canadian strengths, the report focuses on our highly educated population and the potential to build on that as the global economy shifts more towards services. I think they make a compelling argument there of how important services is and is going to be for the Canadian economy. It is a refreshing change from talking about Canada's natural resources and the need to focus there. In terms of better utilizing immigrant skills, they point out how we are better at utilizing the skills of international students who choose to stay in Canada: "labour market underutilization of immigrant skills versus the Canadian-born population largely disappears among immigrants that studied in Canada". At a time when IRCC is looking to reduce the number of post-graduate work permits that they issue, this fact is super important to remember. We rather risk shooting ourselves in the foot as we try and solve a separate problem - really speaking to the need for a coherent strategy. At any rate, I'm looking forward to reading future reports in RBC's Growth Project series.

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Applications for Cohort 3 of the i.d.e.a. Fund program are now open! With funding from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario | Agence fédérale de ... (FedDev Ontario), five Regional Innovation Centres, including Innovate Niagara have combined efforts to offer selected businesses the opportunity to re-work their products, services, processes, and technologies to focus on reducing impact on the environment. This includes mentorship support to grow and accelerate their business. If you are an incorporated business located in southern Ontario, with high growth potential, and have fewer than 500 employees, you might qualify. What can your business receive if you are selected? • Non-repayable seed funding of up to $20,000, with matching funds • Up to 30 hours of fully funded, targeted support from business leaders Think your business is a good fit? Apply for Cohort 3 before September 30, 2024 and you might be one of the businesses chosen! https://lnkd.in/e6Rpi8D8

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“If you do not change direction, you might end up where you are heading.” When I read these words from my fantastic colleague Alicia Planincic all I could think of was that proverb. “Based on the average of these forecasts, while Canadians are expected to increase the value of their economy by around $2,000 per person from 2023 to 2029, Americans are expected to increase the value of theirs by nearly $7,000. This means the gap will grow from an already large $18,000 today to $23,000 by the end of the decade (in 2017 dollars). This would leave Americans 40 percent richer than Canadians. That is similar in percentage terms to the difference between Russia and France, or Greece and the U.K. today—countries with very different living standards from one another.” from The Hub https://lnkd.in/gzsEzTEx

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Today, we're releasing our latest report on Toronto's Digital Divide, co-authored with Angus Lockhart in collaboration with the City of Toronto - who are doing great work trying to close this divide: https://lnkd.in/emVSzZ6H Using a new online + phone survey of 2,500 Toronto residents, we update our last look at this issue from early in the pandemic in late 2020. Here are some key findings: 1. 98% of Toronto residents have home internet, steady since 2020. 2. Cost remains the biggest reason that households are unconnected, with lowest-income households the least likely to be connected. 3. Home internet speeds are getting faster, though are still impacted by income. The proportion with speeds above 100 Mbps grew from 36% in 2020 to 49% in 2023. 4. Public libraries are a critical point of access for those without home internet - 39% of those used the library in the last year. 5. The average Toronto household has 2.6 laptops, smartphones or tablets. The proportion of those aged 65+ without a smartphone declined from 20% in 2020 to 12% in 2023.

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A Labour Day piece that applies a «generations » lens to the federal public service… #publicservice #publicadministration. Other data in the recent annual Clerk’s report that may turn out to be more relevant to Labour Day points to a large population of recent hires that will be the most vulnerable to layoff algorithms. 13.5 percent of the FPS are term employees. Another five percent are students and casuals. 28.5 percent of the FPS have less than four years cumulative experience and the unions are pressing to have seniority be a bigger factor in layoffs. (Young public servants better hope that some form of early retirement packages to open up spots for them become part of the conversation)

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A very interesting case study about the successful transformation of a newspaper.

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Shape the Future of Canada’s Workforce As Canada navigates evolving labour market challenges and demographic realities we encourage all tourism operators to provide important feedback about the workforce required to sustainably grow Alberta's visitor economy. The Government of Canada is gathering diverse perspectives on skills development, lifelong learning, and workforce inclusivity to shape future policies and programs. In Alberta, the tourism sector faces unique workforce challenges, including recruitment and retention issues, intensified by competition from other industries and economic fluctuations. Addressing these challenges is crucial for the growth and sustainability of Alberta’s tourism industry. In 2023 TIAA in partnership with HR Tourism Canada released A Labour Market Study of Alberta's Tourism sector which can help inform responses to the Government of Canada's request for feedback. https://loom.ly/BdUKsDY Share your insights by completing this survey by September 30. Your input will contribute to shaping the future of Canada’s workforce. Learn more and take the survey here: https://loom.ly/GxT-JrY #LabourMarket #WorkforceDevelopment #CanadaTourism

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Just to say, I have posted Blog #8 in our series calling for a change in the Charity/Social Sector. https://lnkd.in/eR3D4SPZ Our charity sector needs a holistic strategic plan to help optimize the allocation of efforts towards the highest priorities for the sector.  To respect the true meaning of setting priorities, only a few key items can be presented. Outlining dozens of problems works to distract, overwhelm, and dilute efforts. Here are my top three initiatives I believe are most important: 1.     To address the growing charity gap, and to reverse the decline in giving in Canada, we need to encourage greater generosity among all targets.    →  Since religious people are more generous, the decline of religiosity challenges the future of the charity sector. We need to learn what it is about religion which drives greater generosity and then replicate it elsewhere. - To get an initial insight on the influence of religiosity, see this recent Canadian research study: https://lnkd.in/esFZcghy  →  It might be a good idea to develop and deliver an on-going ‘generosity’ campaign. This would be akin to ParticipACTION (for greater exercise), but for greater generosity.  →   It should also be said that it is inappropriate to increase charity tax incentives to incent greater giving since this is both expensive to the public purse and because generosity is more strongly influenced by culture than it is by tax credits. - For example, Quebec has the highest charity tax credits of all provinces, but has the lowest level of charitable giving per capita. 2.     To help deliver more charitable services, we need to invest in, train, and retain more motivated staff and volunteers. We need to enhance the supply. •       We need programs to make Canadians aware of the need, the opportunity, and ease to work in the charity sector, as paid staff and/or as volunteers. •      The vast majority of charities do not have HR departments so it might be useful to establish a “central, universal HR hub” for the sector (?) •       We need to defend the rationale for ‘overhead costs’ (as per “Uncharitable” by Dan Pallotta). •       It might even be interesting to allow (underpaid) staff in the charity sector to be able to claim a tax credit (say, 10% of their salary as reported on the T4s), up to some maximum (perhaps $3,000-$5,000).  •       Perhaps corporations can register for staff volunteering, with a certain portion of staff time volunteered for charitable purposes earning tax credits (?)   3.     We need better dissemination of best-practices to all 85,000 registered charities in Canada. We need to help charities become better. •       Perhaps we need a ‘central knowledge hub’ to help teach and host best-practices for the sector? Something akin to the “What Works Network” in the UK. ‍  What other priorities do you think are most relevant to those in need? 

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