Looking back on the 2nd Annual Conference of the Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF)

The CIRANO hosted the second annual conference of the Canadian Labour Economics Forum on April 17 and 18, 2026, in Montreal. The event has quickly become a key meeting point for deepening the understanding of labour market transformations and the policy challenges shaping them.

Bringing together researchers, experts, and practitioners, the conference offered a rich space for exchange on major issues in labour economics. Discussions focused in particular on educational pathways, working conditions, and institutional dynamics shaping labour markets, in line with CIRANO’s 2025–2026 thematic year, “Education and workforce : for a more productive and equitable society.”

The conference opened with a keynote address by Ilyana Kuziemko, Professor at Princeton University. Her presentation, which examined the divergence in union density between Canada and the United States, provided a compelling analysis of a central issue in labour economics and sparked extensive discussion throughout the event.

Among the highlights, several research presentations explored a wide range of topics, including mobility restrictions faced by refugees in Germany, the impact of STEM education in Romania, and working conditions in early childhood education in Quebec. These contributions showcased the diversity of approaches and the vitality of current research in the field.

The conference also brought together several members of the CIRANO research community, including Jean-François Gauthier, Catherine Haeck, William Bentley Macleod, Nicole Fortin, Fernando Saltiel, and Thomas Lemieux, and was organized by Marie Connolly.

Finally, the event highlighted the excellence of emerging scholars in labour economics. The Best Student Paper Award was presented to Abdelrahman Amer, while Pierre-Loup Beauregard and Sara Benetti were recognized as finalists.

The conference concluded with expressions of gratitude to all speakers, partners, and participants, whose contributions ensured the success of this second edition of CLEF.