February 4, 2026 (Waterloo, Canada) — Canada’s standard of living has been declining since 1980. A new initiative, sponsored by Dr. Savvas Chamberlain in partnership with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), aims to confront this trend head-on through a series of events exploring the link between national productivity and quality of life, drawing on Statistics Canada data and real-world examples.
The Canadian Standard of Living, Productivity and Innovation Lectures will empower business leaders, professionals, academics and influencers to champion the adoption of innovation, a critical step in reversing Canada’s productivity decline.
“We have the talent. We have the ideas. What we lack is belief,” says Dr. Chamberlain, renowned physicist, entrepreneur and policy adviser. “Canadian innovations must be adopted, invested in and celebrated — not sidelined. This is how we begin to arrest the decline in Canadian productivity. It is a call to action for our leaders to deliver what governments alone cannot.”
The series will feature world-renowned experts in economic growth and development, such as Ricardo Hausmann, and explore procurement reform, capital investment and cultural shifts needed to restore Canadian competitiveness. It will also highlight missed post-COVID opportunities and propose actionable strategies for change.
“For decades, Canadian governments have invested in generating new innovations, yet a cultural and structural gap remains in the adoption and commercialization of these initiatives into value-added products,” says Paul Samson, CIGI president. “This important partnership enables us to engage Canadian decision-makers so homegrown innovation can compete and scale — supported by procurement and other market-shaping levers.”
For more information or to register for the lectures, visit lp.cigionline.org/canadian-productivity. The series launches April 9, 2026.
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Media Contact
Rebecca MacIntyre
Communications Manager
Centre for International Governance Innovation
519-885-2444
communications@cigionline.org
About CIGI
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, non-partisan think tank whose peer-reviewed research, foresight and trusted analysis influence policy makers to innovate. With the engagement of a global network of experts and contributors, CIGI tackles the governance challenges and opportunities of data and transformative technologies, including AI, and their impact on the economy, security, democracy and, ultimately, societies. Learn more at cigionline.org.
About The Sponsor
Dr. Savvas Chamberlain, C.M., FRSC, is a renowned physicist, inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose career has shaped Canada’s digital imaging and high-tech landscape. A distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, he pioneered foundational advances in MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) and CCD (charge-coupled device) technology and invented multiple silicon image sensors that helped launch Canada’s leadership in digital imaging.
Dr. Chamberlain successfully transferred his university research into industry by founding DALSA Corporation, which he led as CEO and later chairman, growing it from a small start-up into a global imaging company. He is also the founder and CEO of EXEL Research Inc., supporting Canadian technology companies and fostering the commercialization of homegrown innovations.
A member of the Order of Canada and fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Dr. Chamberlain now dedicates his time to philanthropy, advancing cancer care technologies in Canadian hospitals, and activities aimed at strengthening the implementation and commercialization of Canadian innovations.
