Thought Leadership, Research & CPA Spotlights

The Scale and Potential of Ontario’s Intangible Economy

Newly released research from Economist Impact, commissioned by CPA Ontario, evaluates the state of Ontario’s intangible economy.

The paper, which features the latest available data on the state of the province’s ability to embrace intangibles, highlights four areas that are critical to the growth and development of Ontario’s intangible economy.

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Intangible assets are the key source of growth in the digital economy. Yet, without a concerted effort from businesses, governments and educational institutions, Ontario’s long-term growth potential will leak outside the province.

Read CPA Ontario's 2022 report, produced by Economist Impact, "The Scale and Potential of Ontario's Intangible Economy" and join the discussion.

Download the whitepaper

Ontario is Canada’s economic powerhouse

Ontario’s intangible economy, which consists of assets like data, software, intellectual property and R&D, is the biggest in the country. While the province has nurtured a vibrant start-up economy, it often lacks the capital, knowledge and policies to help innovators scale up and compete on a global stage. When companies can’t make that leap, they end up being bought by those that can with the long-term returns often moving offshore.

Key insights from the research calls for a four-pronged strategy by business leaders, governments and educational institutions to grow Ontario’s intangible economy: translating intangible investment into productive assets, scaling up the commercialization of intangibles, adapting to new digital realities in the wake of COVID-19 and boosting intangible economy-specific education and skills training.

Check out the visual summary of the report

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