--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/" title: "The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T08:15:31+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-17T10:11:44+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2025" ipm_keyword: - "1996-2021" - "Canada" - "Cette" - "EUKLEMS" - "GDP per capita" - "INTANProd" - "Nicoletti" - "OECD" - "PMR" - "procompetitive" - "productivity" - "regulation" - "upstream sectors" ipm_research_theme: - "Policy and institutions" - "Productivity trends and comparisons" ipm_country_focus: - "Canada" - "International" - "OECD" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/ # The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-49-1-Cette-Lopez-Nicoletti-Vernerey.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Cette, Gilbert, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, and Océane Vernerey. 2025. “The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 49 (Fall 2025): 3–40. https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/ ## Authors: - Gilbert Cette Banque de France; University of Aix-Marseille II (CEDERS); INSEE-CREST; University of Aix-Marseille II (CEDERS) - Jimmy Lopez Université de la Méditerranée - Giuseppe Nicoletti Economics Department, OECD - Océane Vernerey Université de Bourgogne ## IPM Issue 49 Fall 2025 pp. 3–40 ## Related IPM articles [Is the SNA Still Useful? 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The Canadian Experience Tim Sargent Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 39–53](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/how-does-industrial-policy-impact-output-hours-and-productivity-the-canadian-experience/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn Using international data on anticompetitive regulations and productivity from 15 countries and a large number of industries over 1996-2021 (EUKLEMS & INTANProd; OECD PMR database), this article models how regulations in upstream non-manufacturing sectors (energy, transport, trade, professional services) affect downstream productivity. Reforms reducing regulation in these sectors transmit to the rest of the economy through input-output linkages. The study finds that if Canada adopted best-practice regulations internationally (especially in professional services and retail distribution), GDP per capita could rise 6.5-10 per cent in the long run. These very large potential gains highlight regulation as an important constraint on Canadian productivity. À l’aide de données internationales sur les réglementations anticoncurrentielles et la productivité de 15 pays et de nombreuses industries sur la période 1996-2021 (EUKLEMS & INTANProd; base de données des RMP de l’OCDE), cet article modélise comment les réglementations dans les secteurs non manufacturiers en amont (énergie, transport, commerce, services professionnels) affectent la productivité en aval. Les réformes réduisant la réglementation dans ces secteurs se transmettent au reste de l’économie par des liens d’entrées-sorties. L’étude constate que si le Canada adoptait les meilleures pratiques réglementaires à l’échelle internationale (notamment dans les services professionnels et la distribution au détail), le PIB par habitant pourrait augmenter de 6,5 à 10 % à long terme. 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