The Next Age of Uncertainty

How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future

By: Stephen Poloz

Narrated by: Stephen Poloz

*WINNER OF THE 2023 NATIONAL BUSINESS BOOK AWARD*
*FINALIST FOR THE 2023 OTTAWA BOOK AWARD*
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE SHAUGHNESSY COHEN PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING*
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 DONNER PRIZE*

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

From the former Governor of the Bank of Canada, a far-seeing guide to the powerful economic forces that will shape the decades ahead.

The economic ground is shifting beneath our feet. The world is becoming more volatile, and people are understandably worried about their financial futures. In this urgent and accessible guide to the crises and opportunities that lie ahead, economist and former Governor of the Bank of Canada Stephen Poloz maps out the powerful tectonic forces that are shaping our future, and the ideas that will allow us to master them.

These forces include an aging workforce, mounting debt, and rising income inequality. Technological advances, too, are adding to the pressure, putting people out of work, and climate change is forcing a transition to a lower-carbon economy. It is no surprise that people are feeling uncertain.

The implications of these tectonic tensions will cascade throughout every dimension of our lives—the job market, the housing market, the investment climate, as well as government and central bank policy, and the role of the corporation within society. The pandemic has added momentum to many of them.

Poloz skillfully argues that past crises, from the Victorian Depression in the late 1800s to the more recent downturn in 2008, give a hint of what is in store for us in the decades ahead. Unlike the purely destructive power of earthquakes, the upheaval that is sure to come in the decades ahead will offer unexpected opportunities for renewal and growth.

Filled with takeaways for employers, investors, and policymakers, as well as families discussing jobs and mortgage renewals around the kitchen table, The Next Age of Uncertainty is an indispensable guide for those navigating the fault lines of the risky world ahead.

©2022 Stephen Poloz (P)2022 Allen Lane

Critic reviews

*WINNER OF THE 2023 NATIONAL BUSINESS BOOK AWARD*
*FINALIST FOR THE 2023 OTTAWA BOOK AWARD*
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE SHAUGHNESSY COHEN PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING*
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 DONNER PRIZE*

“Engaging and infused with humour, The Next Age of Uncertainty is a breakdown of economic chokepoints by a former Bank of Canada governor who isn’t afraid to let his personality shine. Stephen Poloz has crafted a timely and eminently readable examination and explanation of the major issues that will define monetary policy and its impact on Canadians’ wallets for years to come. If knowledge is power, those who plan for and want to understand the potentially shaky ground ahead would be well-armed with Poloz’s take on the future landscape.” —Shaughnessy Cohen Prize jury

"There are powerful forces at work that will influence how we live and invest in the years to come. In The Next Age of Uncertainty, Stephen Poloz not only describes what those forces are, but draws a precise road-map for navigating them. The Next Age of Uncertainty isn't just a book for economists, it's a book for anyone who wants to make better decisions." —Amanda Lang, Anchor, BNN Bloomberg and national bestselling author of The Power of Why and The Beauty of Discomfort

“Engaging and infused with humour, The Next Age of Uncertainty is a breakdown of economic chokepoints by a former Bank of Canada governor who isn’t afraid to let his personality shine. Stephen Poloz has crafted a timely and eminently readable examination and explanation of the major issues that will define monetary policy and its impact on Canadians’ wallets for years to come. If knowledge is power, those who plan for and want to understand the potentially shaky ground ahead would be well-armed with Poloz’s take on the future landscape.” —Shaughnessy Cohen Prize jury