Big Chat: Jock Finlayson deconstructs trade, tariffs and Trump for builders

In this premiere episode of Digging In, SiteNews editor Russell Hixson sits down with Jock Finlayson, Chief Economist with the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), to explore the complex economic terrain facing Canada’s construction industry. It’s a time of uncertainty—rising tariffs, Canada’s strained relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, global instability, policy shifts, and demographic changes are converging to reshape the Canadian economy in real time. In this wide-ranging conversation, Finlayson shares his insights on what’s happening under the hood, how it's affecting builders, silver-lining opportunities and what might come next.