Perspectives

For many, the word “productivity” evokes thoughts of completing a to-do list or running errands. But in economics, productivity refers to how efficiently a good or service is produced with inputs like labour or energy. 

And Canada’s economic productivity has been stalling and it’s impacting our economy. 

In this episode, Scotiabank’s Director of Forecasting Patrick Perrier joins us to break down Canada’s productivity problem, explain how it affects Canadians directly and much more. 

For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures 

Key moments this episode:

1:42 – What economists mean when talking about productivity3:02 – Why productivity should matter to Canadians6:30 – Canada’s productivity performance in recent years8:35 – What caused Canada’s poor productivity11:26 – Why productivity measures are volatile and hard to track12:48 – Is productivity about replacing workers or making them work harder?13:31 – How transformations like the Industrial Revolution and AI affect employment14:52 – Why is productivity especially important for Canada’s success today15:32 – How can countries like Canada improve productivity?17:29 – Is Canada on the right track with productivity?18:37 – Other countries that managed productivity well19:36 – Where to find productivity numbers reported20:04 – Patrick’s main takeaways on productivity

Once again, the Bank of Canada held the overnight interest rate at 2.25%, but signalled that higher oil prices due to the war in Iran will push up inflation in the near term. 

Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back on the podcast to break down the latest rate decision, what it could mean for Canadians and what we could see in the second half of the year.  

For legal disclosures, please visit ⁠http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim⁠ and ⁠www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures⁠ 

Key moments this episode:

1:05 - JF walks us through the Bank of Canada's decision

2:23- JF paints a picture of Canada's economy and why it prompted the central bank to hold its key rate steady

5:18 - An overview of how the war in Iran affects the Canadian economy

9:22 - Unpacking how different provinces in Canada will be affected differently

11:33 - JF weighs in on when a policy rate change may be needed

15:06 - JF's outlook for interest rate decisions and why he still expects a rate hike in 2026

17:18 - A look at Canada's housing market and why you should consider renewing your mortgage soon

18:58 - JF's main takeaways for Canadians

You’ve probably received a phone call that looked like it was coming from a reputable institution, but when you pick up you quickly realize something sounds off. Financial scams are becoming more sophisticated, and scammers are even selling their methods online to other fraudsters. These phone calls, phishing emails or questionable text messages target Canadians at every age.  

In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron McAllister, Vice President of Fraud Threat Management at Scotiabank and Chris Lynam, the Director General of the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They explain what the latest scam trends look like and the various ways Canadians can protect themselves.

You can report cybercrime and fraud online at https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca/. For more information on the latest scams, visit Scotiabank.com/security.

For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures

Key moments this episode:

1:48 – An intro to Chris' work combatting fraud with the RCMP2:45 – The scale of fraud in Canada according to recent data4:02 – Why fraud seems to have grown so much4:42 – Chris describes the prominent scams targeting Canadians in 20259:08 – Common scams Aaron has seen from his role at Scotiabank10:25 – How scams target people of all ages11:15 – The newest methods fraudsters are using, such as AI and deepfake videos14:14 – Law enforcement's main challenges addressing fraud16:28 – What Scotiabank and other financial institutions can do to combat fraud17:27 – How the Maple Disruption operation brought together organizations to fight fraud18:56 – The importance of education and Scotiabank's partnerships with other organizations20:24 – What Canada can learn from other jurisdictions21:36 – How a multipronged approach took down LabHost25:08 – The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's revamped online report portal27:49 – Aaron's tips for preventing scams29:30 – How to reach seniors with fraud awareness content30:04 – Chris' tips for preventing scams33:21 – Why early disruption is key and more tips from Aaron34:39 – How a 'safe word' can protect families35:19 – Where you can find Scotiabank's latest resources on fraud35:40 – Summarizing tips and the importance of talking about fraud

In this episode, we’re exploring how different generations approach money — and why — with generational research expert, Kim Lear. She'll help us understand how these shifting attitudes can have big repercussions, dispel some stereotypes and help us bridge the generational divide when it comes to finances. 

 For legal disclosures, please visit http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim and www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures 

 

Key moments this episode: 

1:49 – What exactly does an expert at generational research (like Kim) do? 

3:50 – Why it's important to study how generational differences impact how people approach money 

5:51 – Defining each generation and giving the broad strokes of their approach to money 

8:44 – Diving a little deeper on the unique financial situation facing Gen Z 

10:01 – Does Gen Z have any advantages when it comes to finances? 

12:54 – What tip Kim would give Gen Z for building their wealth 

14:48 – What is the ‘guilt of young inheritors’?  

17:08 – How has social media influenced how different generations think of wealth and success 

18:42 – Are social media trends helping financial literacy?  

21:00 – Why transparency between generations has improved 

22:44 – How we’ve moved from an ‘environment of secrecy’ to an ‘environment of openness’ when it comes to money 

24:13 – Kim's main takeaway from the conversation 

25:26 – Bonus question: Which generation does Kim have a soft spot for?

For the second time in a row, the Bank of Canada held the overnight interest rate at 2.25%.

The central bank made the decision citing that little had changed from its 2025 October Monetary Policy Report, so holding rates “remain appropriate” as Canada’s current economic outlook appears uncertain given the re-negotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and evolving trade policies.

Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back on the podcast to break down the latest rate decision, what it could mean for Canadians and what we could see in the second half of the year. 

For legal disclosures, please visit ⁠http://bit.ly/socialdisclaim⁠ and ⁠www.gbm.scotiabank.com/disclosures⁠

Key moments for this episode:

1:12 – JF’s take on the main takeaway from the Bank of Canada’s latest decision

2:39 – JF on the current level of uncertainty and the challenge it poses

4:30 – How the Canadian economy has been “surprisingly resilient”

6:25 – The outlook for economic growth in 2026

7:51 – What is the “structural adjustment” that Canada is going through?

9:29 – What this all means for the average Canadian

10:49 – What does this mean for Canadians looking to buy a home or renew their mortgages?

12:57 – What are the takeaways for businesses?

14:20 – What are the main takeaways for Canadians from this decision?