Podcasts · West of Centre

Short: The problem with GDP per capita

21 Jul 2025 · 22 min · S6 E250

Canada’s sluggish gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has been branded an economic “emergency.” Yet the headline figure could soon rise even if Prime Minister Mark Carney does little to spur productivity. Ottawa is slashing the intake of international students and temporary foreign workers — a move that will shrink the population denominator and nudge the stat upward, even as total output may slip and social programs face restraint.

In this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown asks University of Calgary economist Gillian Petit to dissect the metric politicians love to wield. GDP measures total output, while GDP per capita divides that sum by the population. Petit says the simple math offers an easy snapshot but can mislead when used alone.

For a true read on prosperity, Petit argues Canada needs a broader dashboard that weighs productivity, fairness and long‑term well‑being. Building that tool, she warns, will be a lot tougher than quoting a single number.

Host: Rob Brown | Producer & editor: Falice Chin | Guest: Gillian Petit