The Empire Club of Canada
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Ontario’s economy is entering a period of rapid change, with key indicators showing mixed signals. While inflation is easing, unemployment rates have ticked up, and current changes in the political landscape are causing businesses across the province to grapple with uncertainty. The recent U.S. election, along with upcoming federal and potential provincial elections in 2025 could impact trade, cross-border relations, and investment.
Shifts in immigration policy, productivity measures, and investment attraction introduced in 2024 have had significant economic impacts, leaving many businesses questioning what’s ahead. Last year, Ontario businesses reported record low confidence and persistent labour shortages in key sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and transportation. Navigating 2025 will require focusing on resilience, adaptation, and forward-thinking strategies.
On February 13, 2025, the Empire Club of Canada is proud to join forces with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) for the launch of their 2025 Economic Outlook and Business Confidence Analysis, revealing fresh data and insights on business confidence, regional economic projections, and policy priorities. This exclusive event will provide a first look at how Ontario’s businesses are preparing for 2025, focusing on key issues such as labour shortages, climate and energy policies, reconciliation, supply chain challenges, and more.
This event is a unique opportunity to shape the conversation around Ontario’s economic future. Engage with industry leaders, political representatives, and policymakers to discuss how businesses can thrive amid uncertainty and lead Ontario toward greater economic growth and competitiveness.
Featuring special remarks by Daniel Tisch, President and CEO, OCC. The presentation can be downloaded here.
Click here to the 2025 Ontario Economic Report (OER).
*The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.*
*Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*
David Lebeter was appointed President and CEO of Hydro One Limited in January 2023. Mr. Lebeter is a highly regarded leader with over 40 years’ experience in the utility and forestry sectors and a reputation for driving improved safety, employee engagement, productivity, customer centricity and successfully delivering capital investments.
Mr. Lebeter has 18 years of experience in all facets of the electricity sector and was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of Hydro One Networks Inc., a role he assumed in January 2020, with responsibility for transmission and distribution, including construction, maintenance, vegetation management as well as system operations, asset planning and engineering. Under Mr. Lebeter’s leadership, the company has improved safety, productivity, reliability and customer experience.
Before joining Hydro One, he held progressively senior positions in operations and safety at BC Hydro from 2005 to 2019, including leadership roles in generation, transmission, distribution and safety. During his tenure, he was responsible for improving safety, reliability, employee engagement and customer service, lowering costs and building trust with union leaders and Indigenous communities.
Mr. Lebeter spent 23 years in the forest industry prior to joining the utility sector, working in leadership positions responsible for operations.
He has previously served as an Executive Board Member for Smart Grid Northwest, as an Operations Board Member for Western Energy Institute, and as the Chairman of the Distribution Council with the Canadian Electricity Association. He holds his ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Mr. Lebeter holds a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from the University of British Columbia, and is a registered professional forester. In addition, Mr. Lebeter holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.
Jennifer has been with BMO Capital Markets Economics for well over two decades and is perhaps best known for her analysis on the U.S. economy, as well as her commentary on global financial market and economic activity. Her entertaining, easy-to-understand and call-it-like-it-is style has earned her a devoted following. Jennifer is a regular in the media and is a frequent guest on Bloomberg. Most recently, for the second year in a row, she took the #3 spot in the 2024 Focus Economics Survey for Euro Area policy rates among 24 global firms and, also secured the #1 spot for forecasting the British pound among 28 firms.
Prior to joining BMO, Jennifer was an economic analyst at another Canadian bank. She graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
Amber Kanwar is the host of a brand new podcast called In the Money with Amber Kanwar. Each episode, Amber sits with a top portfolio manager to find out their best investing ideas. The podcast comes out twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Previously, Amber was a familiar face on BNN Bloomberg. She spent nearly 15 years at the Canadian business channel covering the financial markets. She was a senior anchor for more than a decade. Amber has interviewed hundreds of CEOs, money managers and newsmakers to bring the best and most relevant insights to her viewers.
Daniel is a business, public policy, and community leader, having held executive roles in government and the corporate sector, and senior governance roles at public institutions and non-profit associations. He is known globally as an expert in corporate communications, public policy, community engagement, crisis and reputation management.
From 2003 to 2023, Daniel was the driving force in building Argyle Communications into Canada’s largest management-owned engagement, communication and reputation advisory firm growing to $38M in revenue, 155 employees and ten North American offices by 2023. Earlier in his career, Daniel held senior communications roles in the Canadian government, including serving as Senior Policy Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the latter role, he was a member of the Canadian delegation to the G7 Economic Summit
Daniel has spoken to business audiences on every continent, lectured at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business since 1996, and contributed to leading public relations and marketing textbooks. He appears regularly in print and broadcast media, including weekly commentary on CBC Radio and Global News during the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections. In 2021, Daniel was named one of the world’s “top 100” social media influencers on public relations.
Born in Spain to a Latin American family and raised in Toronto, Daniel speaks English, French and Spanish. He holds two degrees from Queen’s University — a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He is also a certified corporate director, with an ICD.D designation in corporate governance from the University of Toronto. Daniel has served as vice chair of the Queen’s University Board of Trustees, a leader in the international Scouting movement and a board member of Social Venture Partners International.
Flavio Volpe is a Member of the Order of Canada and an internationally recognized leader of Canada’s automotive industry. As president of the APMA since 2014, he led the effort for an unprecedented increase in regional content for automotive suppliers in the USMCA negotiations and mobilized the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic to produce lifesaving medical goods when Canada was cut off from global supplies. He spearheaded Project Arrow, an all- Canadian, zero-emissions autonomous concept prototype and is a sought-after voice in global media and halls of power. Dubbed a “manufacturing hero” by the Toronto Star, he has been recognized as industry leader of the year by Automotive News, CEO of the year by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, named to the Maclean’s “Power List” and The Hill Times “Most Influential People in Government and Politics” list and as a finalist in Reuters’ Global Automotive “Visionary Leader” award.
