Plant and Canadian Manufacturing Online have launched the 2027 Advanced Manufacturing Outlook Survey, inviting Canadian manufacturers to share insights on operational challenges and technology investments shaping their businesses.

This year’s survey has been updated to focus on key priorities such as cost pressures, workforce constraints, supply chain risk and asset performance. Organizers say the streamlined format aims to better reflect manufacturers’ decision-making processes and reduce completion time to under 10 minutes.

Scott McNeil-Smith, vice-president of Manufacturing Sector Performance at the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, said the survey offers real-time data on how manufacturers are adapting across people, process and plant. Jayson Myers, chief executive officer of NGen, said the results will help evaluate industry capabilities and guide policy and program development.

The survey’s findings will help manufacturers benchmark performance and align investment strategies amid ongoing industry uncertainty.

[Photo: Andrii Zastrozhnov via Adobe Stock]

Updated and streamlined, this year’s survey places operational priorities front and centre, including cost pressures, workforce constraints, supply chain risk and asset performance, before examining the role technology has played, or is expected to play, in supporting those priorities. The changes were made to better reflect how manufacturers think about investment decisions and to reduce the time required to participate.

“Canadian manufacturers are not standing still. They are actively recalibrating how they invest, operate and compete,” says Scott McNeil‑Smith, vice‑president, Manufacturing Sector Performance at the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC), which has supported the survey since its inception.

“This Outlook provides a real‑time view into those decisions, translating industry signals into actionable insight for both business leaders and policymakers.”

McNeil‑Smith says the survey captures more than sentiment, providing data on how manufacturers are evolving across people, process and plant to remain competitive amid ongoing change.

“As the sector navigates structural shifts in trade, technology and workforce, having a clear understanding of where manufacturing is heading is essential,” he says. “This is an important opportunity for manufacturers to engage, both in shaping the insights and leveraging the results to benchmark performance, align investments and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.”

The survey has also been streamlined to eliminate redundancy and sharpen the focus on issues shaping day‑to‑day operations and near‑term planning. Completion time has been reduced to 10 minutes or less.

That focus comes at a time of heightened uncertainty for manufacturers, according to Jayson Myers, chief executive officer of NGen.

“At a time of extreme uncertainty facing the industry, it’s more important than ever to take the pulse of Canada’s manufacturers to evaluate their capacity to respond to the challenges they face and take advantage of new business opportunities in Canada as well as in international markets,” says Myers.

“This survey will provide a sound basis for evaluating capabilities and, as usual, will be used by both government and business decision‑makers in designing policies and programs to support the sector.”

“All manufacturers should participate,” he adds.

Results from the survey will inform the 2027 Advanced Manufacturing Outlook Report, featuring national data trends and expert commentary to help manufacturers benchmark their performance and align investment strategies for the year ahead.

All respondents will be entered into a draw to win a $500 Best Buy gift card.

Click here to take the 2027 Advanced Manufacturing Outlook Survey.

Interested in last year’s report?  Click here for your free download.