Lasting Disruption: Economic and Social Impacts of COVID-19 on Canada: The State of the Federation

The immediate and devastating health effects of COVID-19 have eased in recent years, but the pandemic’s enduring influence continues to redefine nearly every facet of life in Canada. This first comprehensive analysis of the virus’s impact examines its effects across Canadian society and draws a blueprint for how multidisciplinary research networks can enable stronger responses to crises in the future. Lasting Disruption brings together leading experts to explore how COVID-19 reshaped the economy, healthcare, education, and public transportation. The collection addresses core issues such as economic disruptions, labour shortages, public healthcare impacts, and the pandemic’s disproportionate effects on Indigenous communities. Particularly revealing is the analysis of economic data: Canada suffered losses of approximately $242 billion over the first two years, with small businesses hit hard as corporations grew more profitable. The volume also examines post-pandemic struggles in educational attainment, fiscal impacts on public transit, and the Canadian Armed Forces’ role in pandemic response. It evaluates environmental outcomes, considers the complexities of policy coordination within a decentralized federation, and reviews changes, including constitutional ones, that would build a more resilient economy. Offering an original perspective on the breadth of COVID-19’s repercussions and practical recommendations for evidence-based policy in health, education, labour, governance, and equity, Lasting Disruption is essential reading for researchers, policymakers, think tanks, advocacy groups, and those interested in crisis preparedness and resilience planning.