Signal49 Research, formerly The Conference Board of Canada, is Canadian applied-research organization that focuses economics, human capital, innovation and technology, education, health, sustainability, Indigenous and northern communities, and immigration.

In the economics forecasting space, Signal49 Research produces medium and long-term outlooks on the national, local, and industrial economies, as well as proprietary economic indicators and custom economic analyses.

The Conference Board of Canada was established in 1954 as a division of the American National Industrial Conference Board, now known as the Conference Board. It acquired a separate legal identity in 1981, The organization is headquartered in Ottawa, but moved to being fully remote during the pandemic, and has employees located across the country. Susan Black is the President and chief executive officer of The Conference Board of Canada.

Past Presidents

Services

  • In-Fact: Research reports, webinars and conference proceedings available to subscribers.
  • e-Data: Data underlying Signal49 Research's economic forecasts. U.S., Canadian, Provincial, Territorial, 24 Canadian Census Metropolitan Areas, and 16 Canadian Industries.
  • Networks: Executive networks, councils, centres and working groups on various topics.
  • Custom Research
  • Research Centres: Canadian Centre for the Innovation Economy, Centre for Business Insights on Immigration, Centre for the North, National Immigration Centre, Value Based Healthcare Canada, Workplace Mental Health Research Centre

Select research publications

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  • (2024)
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Controversies

In May 2009, The Conference Board of Canada was criticised over its claim to be objective and non-partisan. It released a report related to copyright regulations in Canada, which plagiarised papers published by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (the primary movie, music, and software lobby in the US). The Conference Board responded, standing by its report, which drew further criticism, claiming they ignored a commissioned report, for partisan reasons. The Conference Board recalled the reports after conducting an internal review, which determined that there was undue reliance on feedback from a funder of the report. The Conference Board hosted a roundtable discussion on intellectual property in September 2009 and published a new report, Intellectual Property in the 21st Century, in February 2010.

In November 2016, a recording surfaced of Michael Bloom, the vice-president of The Conference Board, which contained a number of generalizing statements about indigenous peoples, people of Caribbean, Asian, and middle-eastern descent. The statements were made in the presence of an employee that is of indigenous heritage. Upon learning of the recording, The Conference Board of Canada placed the vice-president on immediate leave of absence and initiated an internal investigation. Shortly after the recording was made public, it was further revealed that a former employee commenced legal action against The Conference Board of Canada. This employee had worked under Michael Bloom and alleged a "toxic work environment". The former employee was also of indigenous heritage. A lawsuit was filed in Ontario and sought $175,000 in damages.

External links