This paper provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of Canada’s industrial policy landscape, with a focus on policies to support clean technology development, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and young firms. Drawing on the OECD Quantifying Industrial Strategies (QuIS) database and complementary sources, the analysis examines the role of industrial policy in addressing Canada’s key structural challenges, including slow productivity growth, weak business investment, limited scale-up of innovative firms, and the transition to a low-carbon economy. While green policy support and SME financing have expanded, improving strategic direction, policy coordination and evaluation could strengthen policy effectiveness.
