Provincial and municipal governments are attempting to increase density and transit use in most Canadian cities. Rather than increasing affordability and mobility, that approach is doing the opposite. The report argues that cities should embrace, rather than reject, urban dispersion.
Year: 2013
Urban Policy: A Time for a Paradigm Shift
This policy paper examines current attempts to increase urban densification in Canada’s metropolitan areas, and makes a common-sense but unorthodox argument that cities would be better off embracing urban dispersion.
City of Regina Plans to Solve Cab Shortage by Adding…6 Temporary Licences…
Regina has a serious taxi shortage. The city has 126 taxi licences for over 200,000 residents. In other words, there are nearly 1600 people per cab. A reasonable person might assume that this is a significant problem, especially in a dispersed city like Regina that does not have a great deal of mass transit. Aside from the fact that taxis are handy for non-drivers, they’re also a pretty big part of mitigating drunk driving. While adding a six taxis won’t hurt, it also won’t have much of an effect.
Global Warming Benefits?!!?
A few years ago Senior Fellow Tim Ball wrote a column for the Frontier Centre which observed that global warming would benefit Canada and particularly Manitoba. Winnipeg, of course, some pundits say is the coldest city in the world over 500,000 so the commentary hit a...
Featured News
COVID Crisis Management: Which Lessons?
The pandemic has taken the countries, the governments and the people by surprise. Most of them were not prepared to face this crisis. After all, initially, most Western countries refused to panic and wanted to manage the situation like other illnesses like the flu....
Throwing Good Money After Bad?
One of the eternal questions of public policy is: should governments get into bed with private businesses? Whether it is called a Public-Private Partnership, buying a controlling interest for taxpayers, investing in the technologies of tomorrow or just, avoiding a...
Is Saskatchewan’s First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit undermining housing affordability?
On its face, the First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit seems like it would increase housing affordability. After all, aspiring home owners often have difficulty scraping together enough money for a deposit. But tax credits are the wrong tool. I pointed out during the last provincial election that evidence from the US suggests that the tax credit would, in fact, reduce housing affordability.
Oil Confusion
Here’s 10 news headlines about oil from today, presented without any further comment – I’ll leave it to you to try and figure out what’s going on.
Australian Shale Oil Discovery
An Australian company have announced a shale oil discovery that could mean Australia has larger oil reserves than even Canada.
Cutting Red Tape
This week the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is hosting its fourth annual Red Tape Awareness Week™ 2013. In the spirit of the “Red Tape Revolution” here is a poem about red tape reduction initiatives.
More data confirming failure of state-led indigenous economic development
A new study confirming the failure of state-led economic development on American Indian reservations can provide insights to the Idle No More movement, as well as the federal government, as it seeks to help improve First Nations economies.
Nebraskan Route For XL?
Today comes news that the Governor of Nebraska, Dave Heineman, has approved an alternate route for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Decoding the dangerous energy propaganda in Obama’s Inaugural Address
Data from the Energy Information Administration indicates that in 2007, 2008 and 2009, the U.S. added more non‐hydroelectric renewable capacity than was added in natural gas, coal, oil, and nuclear. This is a dangerous trend that must be reversed as soon as possible.
Common Sense Education IV: Making Sure Students Can Read
Common Sense Education gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system. This fourth of ten episodes discusses what is required to ensure every child can learn to read fluently. The series is written...
Albertan Oil Prices
$27 billion a year is a BIG problem that has to be addressed.