Frequently Asked Questions

The Institute for Competitiveness and prosperity is an independent, not-for-profit organization.  We are funded primarily by the Government of Ontario and are mandated to share our research findings directly with the public.  We also earn revenue from conducting contract research in areas consistent with our mandate.

The Institute deepens public understanding of macro and microeconomic factors behind Ontario’s economic progress, with particualr reference to leading North American jurisdictions.  The Institute serves as the research arm of the Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress, which was announced in Ontario’s April 2001 Speech from the Throne.  We are also the Canadian partner of the World Economic Forum.

Our mandate from the Government of Ontario is to assess Ontario’s progress against other North American jurisdictions.  For comparability, we have chosen those states and provinces with at least half of Ontario’s population.  In our research, we have explored some best practices in other countries.  But our focus is on how Ontario and Canada compare against the most similar - and the most competitive - economy in the world.