From railways to highways and power grids, Canada has a proud history of building big things. Yet in the last decade, progress has slowed substantially, with major projects bogged down in red tape, stakeholder conflicts, and political hesitation.

Now, with the recent passage of Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, the country is once again talking about pipelines, ports, mines, and clean energy corridors. But can Canada actually seize this moment? Can we put shovels in the ground, or will familiar obstacles stall another generation of nation-building?

In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw sits down with Adam Fremeth, Associate Professor of Business, Economics and Public Policy at Ivey Business School, to explore why it’s so hard to build anything big in Canada.

Together, they discuss the tension between growth and gridlock, what Bill C-5 could mean in practice, and how business leaders can find opportunity in an era of complexity.

Engaging and thought-provoking, this episode sheds light on the political, economic, and social dynamics that will determine whether Canada’s next big building boom ever gets off the ground.

In this episode:

0000 – Intro

0917 – Putting Bill C-5 into context

1535 – Engaging with stakeholders early and often

2023 – Teaching the concept of perspective taking

To learn more about the research discussed in this episode, please visit:

One Canadian Economy Act:

https://www.canada.ca/en/one-canadian-economy.html