The Government of Canada welcomes report from Industry Strategy Council

The Council's work has already helped inform the government's actions, including the extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and some measures outlined in the Fall Economic Statement

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 11, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada recognizes that a smooth economic recovery will require continued collaboration between the public and private sectors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why the government created the Industry Strategy Council, bringing together business leaders to offer experienced perspectives from key sectors of our economy and to engage with a diverse set of businesses and stakeholders from coast to coast to coast, including labour and Indigenous peoples.

Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, welcomed a report from the Council's Chair, Monique F. Leroux. While the Council has provided advice throughout its mandate, the report serves as a summary and conclusion of its work, which focused specifically on identifying the scope and depth of COVID-19's impact on industries and informing the government's understanding of specific sectoral pressures. In addition, the Council has outlined recommendations to support the recovery and growth of key sectors moving forward. The Minister thanked the Chair and each member of the Council for the time and energy they have put into this initiative.

The Council provided valuable insight into pain points within sectors, noting the importance of support for heavily affected sectors. Looking at the longer term, the Council provided additional recommendations on connectivity, skills training, diversity and inclusion, research and development, and steps toward sustainability and lower emissions. In consultation with the Council, business communities and Canadians, the government has taken swift action on some of these themes. Beyond the priority of fighting COVID-19 and protecting Canadians, the Fall Economic Statement outlined measures for supporting workers and businesses through the second wave as well as our hardest-hit sectors.

The report, Restart, Recover and Reimagine Prosperity for All Canadians: An Ambitious Growth Plan for Building a Digital, Sustainable and Innovative Economy, details findings on COVID-19's impact on industries and added recommendations to position for recovery across sectors.

Quotes 

"Our first priority remains to protect and support Canadians through this pandemic. To do so, we need first to understand the shifting and serious effects of the pandemic on our industrial sectors. Canadian business leaders on the Industry Strategy Council have helped with just that, sharing changes and challenges to industry from across Canada and sectors. Their insights have informed our government's work to support workers and businesses, and we look forward to continued collaboration to help all Canadians through the COVID-19 pandemic, without losing ground on issues that will allow us to recover with more opportunities for all Canadians."
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"It is an honour to present to Canadians our report designed to shape our country's economic outlook amidst this COVID-19 pandemic. We wrote this report in a spirit of dialogue between our industry leaders and government experts, through broad public consultations. These important insights have galvanized our desire to structure our economic recovery to benefit all Canadians and have urged us to be bold and ambitious in taking action to enhance our national competitiveness. This crisis calls for Canadians to stand together in building a promising future for the prosperity of all."
– Monique F. Leroux, Chair, Industry Strategy Council

Quick facts

• The Industry Strategy Council drew its inspiration from the innovative collaborative model that was established through the Economic Strategy Tables (EST), set up in October 2017 as part of the government's Innovation and Skills Plan.
• The Council's composition aligned with that of the ESTs, representing key industries: advanced manufacturing, agri-food, clean technology, digital industries, health and biosciences, resources of the future, and tourism and hospitality, adding two new tables for the retail and transportation sectors in response to economic pressures caused by the pandemic.
• The ESTs will relaunch in the near future, building on the Council's insights on the current state of key sectors and potential recommendations for the future.

Associated links

• Minister Bains announces members of new Industry Strategy Council
• Industry Strategy Council
• Economic Strategy Tables
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

John Power, Senior Communications and Media Relations Advisor, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]