CCI Response to Ontario’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement

Today, the Ontario government released its 2026 Fall Economic Statement. In response, Skaidra Puodžiūnas, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI), issued the following statement:

“Ontario’s innovators recognize the government’s efforts to provide stability as tariffs and trade uncertainty put pressure on the provincial economy. Businesses need predictability to invest and plan. They also need an economic strategy that keeps pace with the markets in which they compete.

“Ontario’s economic sovereignty depends on more than steel and autos. It also depends on who owns the technologies, intellectual property and digital infrastructure that businesses and governments increasingly rely on. These sources of economic strength must play a greater role in the province’s policy and investment decisions.

“Homegrown technology companies are making decisions today about where to raise capital, expand their operations and commercialize their next product. They cannot put those decisions on hold while Ontario develops its approach to the 21st-century economy. Delays risk sending investment, ownership and future growth elsewhere.

“The government has practical tools to act now. It can become a stronger customer for Canadian technology, help businesses adopt homegrown solutions that improve productivity, and ensure public investments support companies that retain intellectual property and decision-making in Ontario.

“Digital credentials offer an opportunity to put this approach into practice. We look forward to working with the government and contributing our members’ expertise as this effort moves forward. Getting standards, system design and procurement right will be essential to earning Ontarians’ trust and ensuring Canadian companies have a meaningful opportunity to help build and supply this infrastructure.

“Similarly, we look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure that AI and defence strategies set Ontario's innovators on a path to success.

“The Council of Canadian Innovators’ 2027 pre-budget submission outlines recommendations to strengthen Ontario’s innovation economy and help more homegrown companies scale. We are ready to work with the government, but the pace of policy must match the urgency facing Ontario’s innovators.”

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Media Contact

Lisa Brody Hoffman
Director of Communications
‍lhoffman@canadianinnovators.org