CIBC logo

Welcome to CIBC Thought Leadership

Explore the latest insights, reports, and timely topics affecting economic growth at home and around the world.
Two women - one with blond hair tied back and another with brown hair tied back - both wearing white shirts and dark aprons, consult a laptop.
Drivers of Growth

In 2026, franchising is expected to contribute about $133 billion to the economy, equal to roughly 5% of Canada’s GDP. Yet despite its scale and importance, it’s often overlooked compared to more traditional sectors. As Romal Bryce, Market Vice-President of National Industry Programs, and Greg Windle, Director and National Industry Lead, Franchising & Business Services, write: Whether through hiring incentives, support for technology investments or making it easier to enter the industry, government and business must work together to strengthen this key pillar of Canada’s economy.

A woman with straight light-brown hair wearing a coral-coloured top and a blue apron, cuts flowers in a greenhouse.
Drivers of Growth

Ontario’s greenhouse flower business: An unsung hero of Canada’s economy

While it doesn’t always make the headlines, Ontario’s greenhouse floriculture industry is a steady, innovative force in Canada’s economy, sitting at the heart of a larger greenhouse sector. As Dan Murtha, Director and Team Leader, Agriculture and Commercial Banking, and Bradley Haines, Senior Relationship Manager, write: by blending tradition with innovation, the industry quietly delivers growth, diversity, and trade earnings—not just for Ontario, but for Canada as a whole.
A woman wearing a baseball cap and a red plaid shirt stands in a wheat field among a sunset, holding a tablet.
Drivers of Growth

Building for the future: How traditional businesses are modernizing to grow

Canada's traditional industries — think agriculture, construction, manufacturing — are facing myriad headwinds, from labour shortages and succession gaps to trade uncertainty. As Commercial Banking Market Vice-Presidents Michael Emrich and Brad Ganczar write, the good news is that even the oldest industries can modernize and find new ways to operate, compete and grow.
A woman wearing a baseball cap and a red plaid shirt stands in a wheat field among a sunset, holding a tablet.
Drivers of Growth

Canada's traditional industries — think agriculture, construction, manufacturing — are facing myriad headwinds, from labour shortages and succession gaps to trade uncertainty. As Commercial Banking Market Vice-Presidents Michael Emrich and Brad Ganczar write, the good news is that even the oldest industries can modernize and find new ways to operate, compete and grow.

Two women - one with blond hair tied back and another with brown hair tied back - both wearing white shirts and dark aprons, consult a laptop.
Drivers of Growth

The hidden economic might of Canadian franchises

In 2026, franchising is expected to contribute about $133 billion to the economy, equal to roughly 5% of Canada’s GDP. Yet despite its scale and importance, it’s often overlooked compared to more traditional sectors. As Romal Bryce, Market Vice-President of National Industry Programs, and Greg Windle, Director and National Industry Lead, Franchising & Business Services, write: Whether through hiring incentives, support for technology investments or making it easier to enter the industry, government and business must work together to strengthen this key pillar of Canada’s economy.
A woman with straight light-brown hair wearing a coral-coloured top and a blue apron, cuts flowers in a greenhouse.
Drivers of Growth

Ontario’s greenhouse flower business: An unsung hero of Canada’s economy

While it doesn’t always make the headlines, Ontario’s greenhouse floriculture industry is a steady, innovative force in Canada’s economy, sitting at the heart of a larger greenhouse sector. As Dan Murtha, Director and Team Leader, Agriculture and Commercial Banking, and Bradley Haines, Senior Relationship Manager, write: by blending tradition with innovation, the industry quietly delivers growth, diversity, and trade earnings—not just for Ontario, but for Canada as a whole.

Explore our Series

Latest Podcasts

CIBC's James Wright and Ines Serrao are joined by Jess Thompson, Head of North America Infrastructure Debt at Allianz Global Investors, for a timely discussion on the rapid rise of private credit in US energy and infrastructure. They explore how private credit is complementing banks, bridging funding gaps, and supporting complex projects, with insights on market trends, investor priorities, and opportunities for partnership.

The Energy Shift | EP17How is private credit participating in the Energy Shift?
Read transcript
The Energy Shift

Hot takes from Infocast Solar and Wind 2026

CIBC’s Ines Serrao and James Wright recap key takeaways and hot takes from Infocast Solar and Wind 2026 – covering current trends in the renewable energy sector, priorities for the year and the outlook ahead.
The Sustainability Agenda

Key takeaways from the inaugural CIBC Nuclear Summit

Richard Ma of CIBC Capital Markets joins Tom Heintzman, Vice Chair, Energy & Climate Finance, to discuss the key takeaways from CIBC’s inaugural Nuclear Summit, including observations on the strategic importance of nuclear for Canada’s economic development.
Eyes on the Economy

Economic implications of the war in Iran: Impressions in the early days

CIBC’s Senior Economist, Katherine Judge, interviews Chief Economist, Avery Shenfeld about the implications of the US-Israel and Iran war for the North American economy and financial markets. They explore how global markets—especially oil—are reacting to the conflict, what investors are pricing in, and the potential impact on North America’s economy, inflation, and monetary policy.

The housing crisis is a planning crisis

Read how the lack of a robust population growth forecast framework is partly responsible for the housing supply shortage.

Housing Shortage

5 million

Estimated Canada-wide construction gap by 2030 in units

Population Growth

1.4 million

Gap between real population in 2023 and previous planning forecasts

Latest Videos

Two men sit behind a desk, with hands folded, as they look at a woman who is also sitting at the desk, with an iPad in front of her.
Housing

How can offsite manufactured homes help solve Canada’s housing crisis?

Offsite manufactured housing has been a part of residential development in Canada for nearly a century. Tim Samis, Senior Vice-President, and Elsa Hannaford, Vice-President, from our Real Estate Finance team, join Caivan co-founder and co-CEO Frank Cairo to discuss the untapped potential of this type of housing to add to the supply of homes and address affordability.

CIBC Economics

18%

With women representing a sizeable share of the workforce, making full use of their potential is vital for Canada’s economy. As Senior Economist Katherine Judge discusses in her latest report, while there has been some improvement, there is still plenty of work ahead in addressing a well-known gap in earnings for mothers in the workforce.

Reducing the 'Motherhood Penalty': Some progress, but room to do more
In Focus

Canadian housing: Anatomy of a correction

This In Focus report analyzes the housing market correction underway in Canada. Given the importance of the housing market to the economy, the current weakness in activity along with falling prices have clear negative macroeconomic implications.
CIBC Economics

Bank of Canada interest rate: Not now, maybe later

The Bank of Canada chose not to provide fresh stimulus to the Canadian economy now, keeping the overnight rate steady at 2.75%, but did hint that rate cuts are still possible in the future to help navigate the current period of trade uncertainty.

Our commitment to ambitions

CIBC Ambitions Index 2026

Read about how Canadian ambitions are changing in this second edition of our annual index.

Learn more

Have questions or feedback?

Contact our Thought Leadership team—we value your insights!

Contact us