Homegrown Advantage: Building Ontario’s Economic Independence

By Skaidra Puodziunas
CCI Director of Ontario Affairs

Ontario is at a critical economic crossroads.

The trade war with the United States was looming when Premier Doug Ford called the election, and the trade hostilities have only intensified since election day. In recent months, the government has pulled U.S.-made alcohol from LCBO shelves, ripped up a $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service, restricted U.S. companies from government procurement, and offered tax relief for Ontario businesses to the tune of $11 billion dollars.

These actions are good short-term measures, but what the moment really calls for is a serious, long-term economic strategy that puts our own companies and workers first.

For too long, Canada’s economy has emphasized exporting raw materials, while relying on foreign multinationals to take those raw materials and turn them into high-value products. This has left the economy exposed to the whims of global markets, resulting in poor terms of trade and limited economic security.

It’s time to seriously rethink the role for Ontario in global supply chains, as we look to decrease our reliance on the American market. We laid out specific policies we’d like to see in an open letter to Premier Doug Ford, signed by more than 70 Ontario CEOs a month ago.

We’re still doing this! Just look at the recent announcement of Ontario subsidizing multinational Siemens to expand a R&D facility. As we called for in an open letter to Premier Doug Ford, for Ontario to reshape our trade policies, particularly with the U.S. The relationship with our American neighbours has been permanently altered, and we need to adapt, by developing a strategic approach that prioritizes homegrown innovation as a core orientation.

We truly believe Ontario has an opportunity to reclaim control over its economic destiny and Ontario domestic innovators stand ready to support.

With the election now behind us, and MPPs returning to Queen’s Park, now is the time to see action. First we will have a Speech from the Throne, and soon we will see a budget.

Now is the time for Premier Ford and his team to really show us their plan. Ontario’s economy can’t wait.

Skaidra Puodziunas leads Ontario Affairs at the Council of Canadian Innovators and can be reached at spuodziunas@canadianinnovators.org. Learn more about CCI’s advocacy priorities on behalf of homegrown scale-up companies in our 2025 Ontario Pre-Budget Submission: Read here.

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About the Council of Canadian Innovators

The Council of Canadian Innovators is a national member-based organization reshaping how governments across Canada think about innovation policy, and supporting homegrown scale-ups to drive prosperity. Established in 2015, CCI represents and works with over 150 of Canada’s fastest-growing technology companies. Our members are the CEOs, founders, and top senior executives behind some of Canada’s most successful ‘scale-up’ companies. All our members are job and wealth creators, investors, philanthropists, and experts in their fields of health tech, cleantech, fintech, cybersecurity, AI and digital transformation. Companies in our portfolio are market leaders in their verticals, commercialize their technologies in over 190 countries, and generate between $10M-$750M in annual recurring revenue. We advocate on their behalf for government strategies that increase their access to skilled talent, strategic capital, and new customers, as well as expanded freedom to operate for their global pursuits of scale.