Canadian CEOs are warming to Carney’s economic policy, survey finds

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Defence Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Defence Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Defence Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeNewsEconomyCanadian CEOs are warming to Carney’s economic policy, survey findsMore than 80% of respondents agreed with the overall direction of the federal government’s economic agendaAuthor of the article:Last updated 3 minutes ago Prime Minister Mark Carney stands at Mackenzie Gate at West Block on Parliament Hill as he waits to welcome the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Ottawa on Oct. 27, 2026. Photo by HYUNGCHEOL PARK/PostmediaOne of Canada’s most influential business groups says its members are warming to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s more interventionist economic agenda, and they largely support his plans to diversify exports and boost investment.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe Business Council of Canada, which represents the top executives of many of the country’s largest companies, found broad backing for the prime minister’s plans, even as executives expressed doubt about the government’s ability to carry them out.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.More than 80 per cent of respondents agreed with the overall direction of the federal government’s economic agenda, but most said they’re “concerned about execution.” In fact, there was almost universal agreement among executives that the government’s institutional capacity to deliver is “uneven” or “weak.”SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againMany executives see regulatory complexity or “red tape” as the single biggest obstacle to Canada’s economic success, with 59 per cent choosing that from a list of options. Tax competitiveness came in second at 19 per cent.The findings suggest Canadian business leaders are now more open to the government stepping in to boost strategic sectors.About half of BCC members said they were more supportive of government intervention than they were in 2019. Still, they acknowledged the limits of industrial policy, with 41 per cent saying it should be “used selectively, with strict criteria and discipline.” Another 35 per cent said it should be kept minimal and focus on competitiveness.“It would be a stretch to characterize the mood in C-suites as nationalist or an openness to retreat away from market principles,” Theo Argitis, senior vice-president at the council, wrote in a post about the survey results. “Markets should be as open as possible and government intervention limited. But we are not in a first-best world.”This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.The survey captures a changing relationship between business and the federal government after many years of strained relations under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.In September, Carney announced a plan to expand a tax break for capital investments through a policy dubbed the “productivity mega-deduction.” He’s also introduced legislation to streamline project approvals and broaden federal powers to intervene in some labor disputes.“Business leaders are largely supportive of the overall shift toward a focus on sovereignty and resilience, as well as an increasing appetite for government involvement, as long as it remains disciplined and focused on driving more investment into our economy,” Argitis said.More than 100 of Business Council members, along with about two dozen other leaders from the business and policy community, responded to the survey. The organization also held roundtables, which dozens of stakeholders attended, in five Canadian cities.Members of the council include the CEOs of large banks, telecommunications firms and energy and transportation companies. Tracy Robinson, the CEO of Canadian National Railway Co., is the board chair.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.