A ‘silver tsunami’ of business exits is coming—here’s how to keep them Canadian
A combination of rising U.S. tariffs, a weakening Canadian dollar and a generation of business owners nearing retirement has created the perfect storm for a wave of foreign takeovers. SCP's Michelle Arnold, Futurpreneur's Karen Greve Young and Venture for Canada's Scott Stirrett on how a few targeted policy changes could enable aspiring entrepreneurs to buy existing businesses, keeping jobs and ownership local while injecting fresh energy into our Canadian economy.
The hidden takeover of our economy—and 5 things we can do about it
Today, Canada’s main streets are more likely to feature American chains and less likely to be locally owned. We already face economic assault from the south—SCP's CEO Matthew Mendelsohn and Fellow Rachel Wasserman on why we cannot accept unchecked serial acquisitions as a tactic in this economic war against us and what we can do about it.
Four ways to keep Canadian businesses in Canadian hands
Despite the fact that governments, business leaders, workers and Canadians all say they want to be less economically vulnerable, there is a real risk that, two years from now, even more of our businesses and assets will be owned by U.S. investors. SCP's CEO Matthew Mendelsohn and Chair Jon Shell propose four ideas to prevent American finance from gobbling up the Canadian economy.
Feb. 25 Webinar | What about cities? Building economic resilience amidst a new Canada-U.S. order
Join moderator Shauna Sylvester for an Urban Climate Leadership online webinar featuring Mary Rowe, CEO of Canadian Urban Institute, Mairin Loewen, Assoc. Program Director at UCL and Matthew Mendelsohn, CEO at Social Capital Partners, in discussion on the impact of U.S. tariffs on Canadian cities. February 25, 2025 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET.
Feb. 14 Webinar | When Global Hits Local
In the face of Trump's economic assault, Canada's local businesses and leaders must manage uncertainty and maintain and strengthen community resilience. How will tariffs impact small businesses, supply chains and local economies? Tune in from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. on February 14 to hear our CEO Matthew Mendelsohn and an expert panel discuss practical, community-driven solutions to bolster local economies in the face of global shifts.
Three ideas to make home ownership more affordable that aren’t getting the attention they need
Canadians are more vulnerable to Trump’s economic warfare today because our housing system is in crisis and has left many Canadians without affordable places to live. Some of our own bad policy choices have put us in this position of vulnerability. We've got three housing policy ideas we want the team at Missing Middle to look into.
Inside the corporate battle over your pet’s health | The Fifth Estate
SCP Fellow Rachel Wasserman speaks with CBC's Steven D'Souza as part of an investigation into the skyrocketing cost of owning a pet. The documentary reveals how independent vet clinics are being gobbled up by multinational corporations and private equity for profit.
Why small businesses need rent control
Rising rents are pushing mom-and-pop shops off Canada's streets. In Canadian Business, Aaron Binder and SCP Fellow Liliana Locke (née Camacho) from the Better Way Alliance argue new commercial tenant protections are the answer.
Feedback on the Competition Bureau’s Review of the Merger Enforcement Guidelines
There is a growing recognition, both globally and within Canada, that competition is essential to fostering a strong, resilient and productive economy. Yet, despite this consensus, the Canadian economy is becoming increasingly consolidated, and entrepreneurship is in steep decline. SCP's feedback on the Competition Bureau's Review of the Merger Enforcement Guidelines outlines our concern with serial-acquisition strategies wherein large firms acquire smaller companies in ways that evade regulatory scrutiny, and shares our recommendations to address this issue.
Optimizing the impact of Canada’s Small Business Financing Program
Social Capital Partners and Venture for Canada made a joint submission to Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to amend the Canadian Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) to make it easier for would-be entrepreneurs to purchase existing businesses. Our recommendations to encourage more Entrepreneurship through Acquisition, or ETA, could help stop the decline in entrepreneurship, protect small businesses, keep wealth in Canadian communities and unleash more local, private-sector innovation.