We are at a critical moment in Canada’s history, one that no longer separates “the digital economy” from “the economy”. Our world is digital, and digital transformation across industry and society is no longer something we can plan for in the future. In order to build a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economic recovery and future for all Canadians, we must act boldly now.
The pandemic has taught us many things, one of which is that we can move quickly, with determination, dispatch and a relentless focus on outcomes. Our unique model of collaboration gives us an opportunity to leverage expertise and leadership from technology firms, public and private sector, not for profits, academia and government to chart a digital framework that will position Canada as a leader in innovation and strengthen economic prosperity.
Earlier this month, in partnership with CityAge, we hosted a virtual event called “The Data Effect: Canada’s Digital Imperative”. Bringing together over 350 delegates from various sectors across Canada, we heard from 15 leaders about Canada’s digital potential. The highlights from this discussion shed light on how Canada compares in digital competitiveness and Canada’s digital advantage in natural resources and sustainability and health and wellness. During the session we asked the audience some critical questions, including what is Canada’s biggest digital strength and for Canada to excel digitally, what is most important?
These questions are only the beginning to a series of conversations we are launching called The Digital Advantage Project. This future-shaping exercise aims to start a national conversation around the importance of digital technologies and how they align to the health and well-being, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity of Canada. These conversations will culminate in the creation of a digital framework for Canada. At the end of this project, we will publish and share these insights and next steps for all Canadians.