March 26, 2020

Friends and colleagues:

Like you, we at Smart Prosperity Institute are quickly learning how to balance life and work in a time of global pandemic.

For SPI, that means first and foremost following the directives of Canada’s health authorities. As such, we have enabled all our staff and researchers to work remotely. We are also ensuring they have the flexibility needed to stay healthy and tend to the needs of their loved ones as the situation evolves over the coming weeks. We all remain reachable by email and by phone, though we ask for your understanding if our response time is longer than usual.

As for our work program, these are interesting times for a research network and policy think tank focused on the environment and the economy. The economic impact of the novel coronavirus is close to unprecedented. Many experts are predicting global recession. Here in Canada we could see double-digit unemployment for the first time since the 1990s. And significant government stimulus investments to help Canada’s economy recover will be inevitable.

We see an important role for Smart Prosperity Institute in the months ahead to provide analysis and insights on how Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19 can be consistent with its goals of a cleaner, more resilient economy.

At the same time, SPI’s existing initiatives – Accelerating Clean Innovation, Valuing & Protecting Nature, Building a Circular Economy, and others – are full steam ahead.

In this time of “physical distancing”, we look forward to staying socially connected. Send us an email. Give us a call. And look out for our monthly research updates and social media posts. We’re here, if at least 2 meters away.

We hope this finds you and yours healthy and optimistic,

Mike Wilson

Executive Director, Smart Prosperity Institute