Liberals’ Superclusters Program Delayed and Unrealistic: PBO Report

Overly optimistic projections and delayed spending will deliver far fewer jobs and lower GDP growth than government claimed, says PBO

Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Commons Finance committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 10, 2020. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

The Liberals’ plan to create 50,000 jobs and “superclusters” across Canada appears unlikely as actual funding lags behind schedule, the Office of The Parliamentary Budget Officer reports.

Justin Trudeau’s government created the Innovation Superclusters Initiative (ISI) in February 2018 to bring business, academic institutions, and other non-profits together for research projects in specific industries.