OECD Economic Surveys: Canada 2021
Canada’s vaccine rollout is bringing the prospect of an end to the COVID-19 crisis and a pick-up in output growth is expected. An ultra-low policy rate and other monetary measures continue to provide substantial support for the economy and fiscal support for households and businesses has been substantial. However, risks and uncertainties remain large, notably around how quickly restrictions can be reduced as vaccine rollout proceeds, and how rapidly households will unwind precautionary saving. The COVID-19 crisis has also brought to light shortfalls in welfare programmes. Building back with a sustainable economic recovery will involve challenges for Canada’s policy on greenhouse-gas reduction and will reinforce the need to tackle some longstanding issues in welfare programmes and in impediments to business productivity.
This Survey’s in-depth examination of well-being finds that Canada has scope to make greater use of quantitative indicators in policymaking. This could help frame policy agendas and benchmark progress. Healthcare, childcare, affordable housing and support for Indigenous peoples are among the areas with room for improved policies that can lead to improvements in well-being.
SPECIAL FEATURE: WELL-BEING
Also available in: French
Improving the well-being of Canadians
For many years now, a growing number of economists, policy makers, and civil society groups have pointed to the limits of using only GDP as the primary measure of national economic progress. Accordingly, a progressively greater focus has been placed on the concept of well-being and its optimal measurement, as well as its appropriate use in budgeting and other aspects of policymaking. Canada has had a long history of measuring subjective well-being and a good pre-COVID 19 record on many of its determinants but has not yet decided on an official government-wide framework. This chapter delves into the topic and then looks at some of its crucial aspects, in particular: inequality and poverty including food insecurity; housing affordability and homelessness; physical and mental health and long-term care, with a special focus on Pharmacare; and environmental conditions. It includes a special section on the problems facing Indigenous peoples and those belonging to racialised populations.
Also available in: French
- Click to access:
-
Click to download PDF - 1.82MBPDF