Bill 202, which has passed second reading, is officially titled the Alberta Affordable Housing Review Committee Act. Under this bill, the government will establish a committee of no fewer than three members to report on five areas. Four of the five areas listed in the...
Frank Atkins
Supply and Demand in Alberta’s Housing Market
It is well known that the Alberta economy is largely driven by the oil and gas sector. One unfortunate consequence of this is that Alberta is subject to the boom and bust cycle that is pervasive in all resource-‐based economies. In boom periods, the demand for...
Recent Mortgage Rule Changes Not Well Thought Out
Starting in 2008, the federal government has made changes to the manner in which mortgages can be financed through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). For instance, the maximum amortization period has been reduced from 40 years to 25 years; the maximum...
Canada’s equalization formula needs to change. Here’s why.
In the fall of 2014, the government of Nova Scotia banned hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. Fracking could have developed industries and created jobs and wealth in the province. This could have ended Nova Scotia’s long standing status as a...
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There’s Nothing Fair About Canadian Health Care
For the past 14 years, Vancouver surgeon Dr. Brian Day has led the charge for health-care reform, pushing for the right of patients to pay for private care if their health and well-being are threatened as a result of waiting in a stagnant and overburdened public...
Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
The path to net zero, based on the much disputed belief that carbon dioxide is a pollution, is more steep and impractical than most people realize. Replacing fossil fuels with clean electricity will require much more power generation and a greatly upgraded grid to...
The National Securities Regulator is Harmful
In Canada we need to place more emphasis on competitive forces, in order to create incentives for the creation of new companies with new products in new industries, encouraging companies with growth potential and thereby broadening Canada's economic base. In any...
A national securities regulator is a problem, not a solution
In Canada we need to place more emphasis on competitive forces, in order to create incentives for the creation of new companies with new products in new industries, encouraging companies with growth potential and thereby broadening Canada’s economic base. In any...
The Role of Alberta Treasury Branches in the Alberta Financial Market: The case for privatization has never been stronger
The Alberta Treasury Branches were established to provide financial services to Albertans at a time and in places that such services were often inaccessible and not provided by chartered banks. Now, ATB competes rather inefficiently with private sector financial institutions while enjoying may unfair advantages.
The Role of Alberta Treasury Branches in the Alberta Financial Market
The Alberta Treasury Branches were established to provide financial services to Albertans at a time and in places that such services were often inaccessible and not provided by chartered banks. Now, ATB competes with private sector financial institutions while enjoying may unfair advantages.