This paper assesses Canada’s industrial policy landscape, focusing on support for clean technology, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and young firms.
Drawing on the OECD Quantifying Industrial Strategies (QuIS) database and complementary sources, it examines how industrial policy is addressing key structural challenges. These challenges include weak productivity growth, low business investment, limited scale-up of innovative firms and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
While support for green technologies and SME financing has expanded, stronger strategic direction, policy coordination and evaluation could improve policy effectiveness.