Canada’s business leaders welcome the return of Parliament and look forward to working with MPs and Senators to ensure a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. There is much to do.

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today, building a better future starts with getting the pandemic under control and finishing the job on vaccines. It also requires bold, concrete action to generate economic growth and well-paying jobs for Canadians.

We welcome the government’s commitment to building “a more resilient, sustainable and competitive economy”. Equally encouraging is the promise to address climate change by focussing on innovation and working to attract international capital and investors to Canada. The Throne Speech recognizes that Canada has the raw materials, the energy, and the skilled workforce to be a global leader in low-carbon technologies.

A growing economy is the linchpin of social and environmental progress. Economic growth creates more and better jobs, enhances opportunities for disadvantaged people, and generates the tax revenues that support high-quality universal education, health care and social programs.

Building a better future for Canadians will require leadership, ambition and a focussed plan. The members of the Business Council of Canada stand ready to work with the government as it prepares to bring forward the 2021 fall economic statement and the 2022 federal budget.