Join BDC’s Chief Economist, Pierre Cléroux, for a forward-looking economic outlook focused on what Canadian entrepreneurs need to know—and do—in a period of continued uncertainty and structural change. This session will explore how today’s pressures are reshaping the economy and how businesses can move from reacting to conditions to preparing for growth.

The presentation will cover:

• BDC’s 2026 economic outlook and what it means for Canadian businesses
• How ongoing uncertainty and U.S. trade policy are affecting markets, costs and competitiveness
• Key insights from BDC’s latest economic and business studies
• Practical steps entrepreneurs can take to strengthen productivity, diversify markets and build resilience

This session will offer actionable insights to help you make confident, long-term decisions and position your business to compete and grow in the next phase of Canada’s economic evolution.

Speaker:

Pierre Cléroux
Vice President, Research and Chief Economist
BDC
BIO

Moderator

Sherry Zhao
Founder and CEO
Kalino Bio Inc.

Presenting Sponsor:

Business Growth Series Supporting Sponsor:

Scale-up Centre for SMEs Signature Partner:

Scale-up Centre for SMEs Supporting Sponsors:

Scale-up Centre for SMEs Community Sponsors:

The Scale-up Centre for SMEs (SCS) is an initiative of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. The SCS works to understand the trends, forces, and issues impacting SME growth, innovation, and competitiveness and develops programming and policy to address these issues. Based on the goals of helping companies to discover gaps, engage with experts, and create solutions to address obstacles to growth, the SCS connects, educates, and inspires SMEs in British Columbia.

Pierre Cléroux

Pierre Cléroux was appointed Vice President, Research and Chief Economist at BDC in 2012.

Pierre leads a team of experts who analyze economic data to identify business and sector trends impacting Canadian entrepreneurs. A seasoned speaker, he helps business owners understand the risks and opportunities presented by the economic environment.

Mr. Cléroux is also responsible for providing economic analysis and advice to the Bank’s senior management team, and supervises all marketing and industry research activities. Over his 25- year career as an economist, he has held several influential positions that had a direct impact on entrepreneurs in Canada and abroad.