2025 was not a year of incremental change. A resurgence of tariffs, shifting geopolitics, and the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence have forced Canada to confront fundamental questions about productivity, competitiveness, and economic sovereignty.
Throughout the year, the Lawrence National Centre deepened its work at the intersection of trade, technology, infrastructure, and nation-building. From AI adoption and digital infrastructure to Canada–U.S. trade resilience and electric vehicle policy, our research, convenings, and teaching cases focused on a central challenge: moving from strategy to execution in an increasingly uncertain global economy.
As Canada looks ahead to critical decisions in 2026—from industrial policy and infrastructure delivery to the renegotiation of key trade agreements—collaboration across government, business, and institutions will be decisive. This end-of-year newsletter captures how the Centre is contributing evidence-based policy insights and public dialogue to help shape what comes next.