This podcast discusses Canada's declining productivity and its impact on standard of living. It explores the definition of productivity, how it's measured, and why it's important. It addresses Canada's historical productivity, the mystery behind its lagging performance, and the potential long-term consequences. The podcast also highlights the challenge of finding the cause and solution to declining productivity. Overall, productivity is considered the number one public policy issue in Canada.

Rebekah Young, Head of Inclusion and Resilience Economics at Scotiabank, discusses the shortage of critical minerals used in modern technology. She highlights the importance of these minerals for clean technologies, the challenges of obtaining them, Canada's current deposits, and the future demand. Nearshoring and collaboration among countries are potential solutions, emphasizing the need for policy harmonization.

We go behind the scenes of a modern family farm to see how cutting-edge technology is helping farmers run a more sustainable operation. This episode, Terry Aberhart gives us a tour of Aberhart Farms and tells us about the advanced tools he uses, the hurdles he sees in implementing these practices on a wider scale and the public perceptions of sustainability in agriculture vs. the reality.  Key moments this episode: 1:59 — Terry tells us more about Aberhart Farms and their mission 3:25 — “Sustainability” has become a bit of a buzzword, how does Terry define it? 5:12 — How have Terry’s processes evolved in order to be more sustainable? 8:40 — What is “precision farming”? 10:54 — How much technology is used on a modern farm and why it’s unexpected to some 12:12 — How well adopted in precision farming in Canada? 13:50 — What do non farmers usually get wrong when it comes to perceptions of sustainability? 17:45 — How is a movement towards sustainability received in the industry? 19:29 — What hurdles the sector faces when trying to implement sustainable practices 21:54 — Does running a farming operation more sustainably make it more difficult?  23:54 — Who will be taking over the Aberhart family farms in the future? 

The Bank of Canada’s decision to hold its key interest rate — for the fourth consecutive time — was no surprise. However, this time the central bank signalled that the discussion going forward won’t be about how high its key rate should go, but how long it will stay at 5%. Scotiabank’s Chief Economist Jean-François Perrault is back to break down the Bank of Canada’s latest decision and what factored into it, why inflation remains stubborn, when rate cuts could begin, and the risk factors that could push that timing back. For an up-to-date breakdown of the Bank of Canada's key interest rate and its change over time alongside inflation numbers, visit our interest rate page. Key moments this episode: 1:24 — Why this announcement is a bit like Groundhog Day 2:02 — The latest BoC decision wasn’t a surprise, but what’s the big takeaway? 2:40 — What did BoC Governor Tiff Macklem say that signals there may be a cut before too long? 3:21 — How did the December inflation numbers factor into the Bank of Canada’s decision? 4:50 — Why has inflation been so stubborn? 6:11 — Are geopolitical factors like the attacks in the Red Sea playing into inflation?  7:44 — Is a potential surge in housing demand putting pressure on inflation? 9:12 — What other factors might the BoC be watching to make their next decision? 10:10 — Later this month we get the latest GDP numbers, what might those look like and how may they affect the BoC’s next decision? 11:13 — Are we out of the woods in terms of recession risk? 12:26 — The US economy has been doing very well, how does that factor into the performance of our economy and this latest decision? 13:15 — Why is US inflation coming down faster? 14:02 — Will the Fed’s upcoming decision have an impact on what the BoC does? 14:40 — Is June still when interest rates are expected to come down? 15:22 — What should a mortgage holder or would-be home buyer be taking away from this? 16:12 — Three big takeaways for Canadians from this latest decision

Markets have been doing pretty well lately, but what's in store for 2024? Hugo Ste-Marie is our guest. He is the Director of Portfolio and Quantitative Strategy in Equity Research at Scotiabank and he provides advice to global institutional investors, but his insights will be of interest to investors of all kinds. This episode he'll tell us what the markets might look like in the year ahead, where there may be some opportunities, what a ‘perfect soft landing’ is — and whether we may see one — and much more.   Key moments this episode:  00:57 — Some context around Hugo’s insights 1:30 — The big conclusions about where the economy is potentially headed in 2024 3:16 — Why the US Federal Reserve is a focal point when looking at the global economy 1:45 — Recap around what the Canadian and US economies looked like at the end of 2023 6:22 — Why 2023 ended with some optimism 7:08 — What is a ‘perfect soft landing’? 9:35 — What are the prospects for volatility in 2024? 10:30 — Where are there some potential opportunities as we look ahead at the year? 12:00 — What are small cap vs large cap equities and how to best leverage them 14:42 — Are there places geographically that show a more positive outlook? 15:32 — Hugo sums up his take on 2024  

If your resolution is to get a handle on your money, this year might be a little more challenging for some people. Lucky for us, personal finance expert Bruce Sellery is back this episode. He’s the CEO at Credit Canada Debt Solutions and host of Moolala, the weekly personal finance radio show on SiriusXM. He has some concrete tips for managing your money in a year with continued high-interest rates, high inflation and a looming threat of recession. For more financial advice visit Scotiabank’s Advice+ Centre.  Key moments this episode: 2:05 — Why people are looking at their finances a little differently in 2024 3:03 — A shocking stat that illustrates the need for help with personal finances 5:03 — "I can't afford my life!” — what Bruce is hearing from his clients 6:23 — The first thing Bruce has people consider about their finances heading into the new year 10:05 — The next thing people should think about: savings 11:01 — Bruce’s secret to saving money 11:33 — Two pitfalls around emergency funds 13:24 — The third thing to think about in order to get a handle on your finances: optimizing returns 14:34 — Bruce answers the question he gets all the time 15:20 — What Bruce is hearing around mortgage payments from clients and why it’s a shock for many 16:58 — Some tips on staying on top of your finances without thinking about money all the time 18:20 — Why Bruce thinks strict budgeting isn’t sustainable or effective 20:30 — Ending with wise words from one of the greatest philosophers: Bruce Sellery 

Gillian Riley, CEO of Tangerine Bank, discusses the evolution of digital banking, her experiences as a woman in the corporate world, and the creation of the Scotiabank Women Initiative. Highlights include Tangerine Bank's transition to a full-service bank, the advantages of being a digital bank during COVID-19, and the importance of feedback and vulnerability in leadership.

You’ve probably seen the ads or prompts at online checkouts offering to let you break up your purchase into multiple instalments. This is a new trend in payments called buy now, pay later or BNPL. And a lot of consumers might be wondering, ‘What’s the catch?’ Laura Scheck, Scotiabank’s Vice President of Credit Cards, joins this episode to give us a crash course on this emerging way of paying. Scheck recently helped launch the Bank’s own offering, called SelectPay, and explains exactly how BNPL works, how to use it wisely, as well as some helpful tips.   On Laura’s previous appearance on the show, she busted some common myths around the ever-mysterious credit score. You can find that episode in our podcast feed or visit the show page.Key moments this episode: 1:32 — What exactly is buy now, pay later? 2:03 — Does it seem like this type of payment option is popping up everywhere? 3:15 — Why buy now, pay later appears to be having a moment right now 4:35 — How exactly does this type of payment plan work? 5:36 — Is there a catch? 6:41 — Laura’s insider tip of how to make the most of BNPL 7:12 — Why are banks getting in on BNPL 7:40 — Advice on when to use BNPL and when to use your credit card 8:33 — What to look out for before using BNPL with different providers 9:23 — Laura addresses some of the frequently asked questions and misconceptions 11:31 — What is Scotiabank currently doing on the buy now, pay later front?  

The podcast discusses the Bank of Canada's decision to hold its key interest rate at 5%, the impact of previous rate cuts on the economy, the possibility of interest rates peaking, risks of inflation and wage growth, factors influencing future interest rates, and the anticipation and effects of rate cuts on the housing market.

With the holidays just about here, people's minds aren’t just on buying gifts. They’re also thinking about charitable giving. That’s especially true this year with many feeling the strain of high interest rates and inflation. Nation Cheong, Vice President of Community Opportunities & Mobilization at the United Way of Greater Toronto, and Malcolm Burrows, Head of Philanthropic Advisory Services at Scotia Global Wealth Management, are our guests today. They’ll break down the state of giving as they see it, tell us how trends and technology are affecting philanthropy and even share some advice on how to give effectively this holiday season.  Key moments this episode: 1:33 — Nation gives us a bird's eye view of the giving landscape in Canada right now 2:17 — Did people step up in terms of giving during initial COVID lockdowns? 4:00 — Malcolm explains his role as Head of Philanthropic Advisory Services 4:57 — Malcolm weighs in on what he’s seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic 6:24 — Nation gives some surprising stats on the increased need for giving 8:24 — What trends Nation has seen in terms of fundraising over the course of the pandemic 10:02 — How does a charity or non-profit stand out when there are so many places to give? 11:03 — An answer to a question Malcolm frequently gets: “Which one charity should I give to?” 12:22 — Malcolm's experience on how technology and the pandemic have shaped how we give 14:02 — Nation on why he’s noticed it’s tougher to get volunteers post-pandemic 15:07 — What role big companies play in generating volunteers 16:13 — Advice for people who want to give their money or time this holiday season but might be overwhelmed by the options 19:29 — What motivates Nation and Malcolm to keep doing the work they do