Municipal Ballot Box Basics: Infrastructure

StrategyCorp hosted on October 22th a webinar on what the results of the Québec election mean for Canadian politics. The 31st Premier of Québec, Dr. Philippe Couillard, shared his thoughts on how the election of a new PQ government will shape Canadian politics. He also discussed potential implications for Canada's trade strategy vis-à-vis the U.S., the relationship between Ottawa and Québec, and national unity.

The 2026 U.S. midterm elections saw the Democrats gain a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Democratic Party made notable inroads across the United States, including in red states like Kansas, South Carolina, and Texas. With the war in Iran and affordability concerns top of mind, the midterms proved to be a referendum on the first two years of the Trump presidency. Two StrategyCorp experts with direct experience working on Democratic campaigns join the podcast to go beyond the results and analyze how we got here. Matthew Segal, Director, and Bruce Fisher, Senior Advisor, share what voters were telling the party at the door, whether Canada came up as an issue, and the approach the party took to expand the map. They also discuss what Democratic leadership will focus on when it takes control of Congress in January.

The countdown to Ontario's municipal elections continues as we discuss the third topic in our Municipal Ballot Box Basics series: community safety. No matter where they live, people want to feel safe in their communities and know that they can access emergency services when needed. Our guest Charles Bordeleau, Senior Advisor at StrategyCorp, discusses why community safety is an important issue for communities across Ontario. He notes that municipalities have direct jurisdiction over core safety services. He highlights how these services can work together in a holistic and preventative approach to community safety that goes beyond just traditional law enforcement. Our guest also explains why community safety directly relates to economic vitality and neighbourhood livability.

Les élections municipales en Ontario battent leur plein et le jour du vote approche à grands pas. Plusieurs thèmes tels que les infrastructures, le logement et le développement économique ont été abordés par les candidats municipaux à travers la province. La sécurité communautaire est un autre sujet de grande importance au niveau municipal en raison des répercussions directes sur l'ensemble de la population. Peu importe où ils vivent, les gens veulent se sentir en sécurité et avoir accès aux services d'urgence dont ils ont besoin. Notre invité Charles Bordeleau, conseiller principal à StrategyCorp, nous explique pourquoi la sécurité communauté est un thème important des élections municipales ontariennes.

In the second episode of our podcast series on the Ontario municipal elections, we explore why housing is a major theme for candidates and voters. Our guest Michelle German, Senior Advisor at StrategyCorp, argues that housing might be the most important issue in this year's municipal elections as individuals have never been more challenged to find the right kind of housing. She highlights how specific local realities are shaping what voters are looking for and, ultimately, the housing promises of municipal candidates across the province.

The Ontario municipal elections are in full swing. In this new podcast series, StrategyCorp's Institute explores the themes that are shaping the elections across the province. Ed Archer, Vice President at StrategyCorp, joins the podcast to talk about why infrastructure is a crucial topic in this year's municipal elections. He explains how local realities and other municipal priorities shape discussions on infrastructure.

After a summer marked by geopolitical developments, byelections, and the threat of separatism in Alberta and Quebec, Parliament returns for what promises to be an eventful fall in Canadian politics. StrategyCorp's Rebecca Caldwell, Garry Keller, and Nathan Cullen join the podcast to discuss current dynamics and priorities in government. They highlight what may be next for the Conservatives and the NDP as both parties look to cautiously navigate the "Team Canada" moment we are in amid the tension with the United States and Donald Trump. Our panelists also explain how federal politics will be shaped by provincial dynamics this fall.

Canadian high-performance athletes train hard every day to compete at the highest levels and proudly represent Canada on the world stage. Countries and sport federations are constantly thinking about how to enable athletes and national teams to perform at their best. Government funding and a strong sport ecosystem are critical enablers of high performance. The Government of Canada announced $755 million in the latest Spring Economic Update to support Canadian athletes and National Sport Organisations. The funding will also help host large sporting events and get more people involved in sport. Susanne Wereley, President of AthletesCAN, joins the podcast to discuss the state of high-performance sport in Canada. A two-time Olympian in rowing and an Olympic gold medalist, Susanne discusses how Canada attracts, retains, and supports high-performance athletes. She provides insight into the state of sport infrastructure and how adequate funding underpins the playground-to-podium continuum.

Between the Milano Cortina Olympics, the Paralympics, and the FIFA World Cup, 2026 is a dream year for sports fans. But these mega-events go beyond sports and medals; they are highly political and extensively covered by the media. Large international competitions are opportunities for host countries to achieve diplomatic, political, and economic objectives through sports. How these events are conveyed to fans locally and globally also matters, as sports and media constantly influence one another. To unpack these topics, Intended Consequences welcomes Cecilia Arregui Olivera and Vitaly Kazakov, Postdoctoral Fellows at the Media and Journalism Studies Department at Aarhus University.

With the Government of Canada increasing its defence spending, CANSEC was a must-attend event for ecosystem players. Highlighting the unique moment Canada finds itself in amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, Mark Carney became the first sitting Canadian Prime Minister to speak at CANSEC. StrategyCorp's Garry Keller, Frédérik Larouche, and Terry Nemeth share their key takeaways from the event and the Prime Minister's announcements. They highlight what the government ought to consider as it attempts to move forward at a rapid pace on defence.