BACKGROUNDER
Backgrounder
Calgary City Council: Reimagining the CBD
In a previous post, I commented on the difficulties faced by the Calgary CBD (downtown), with its huge office vacancies resulting from the mid-decade oil bust, along with the rise of remote and hybrid working accelerated by the pandemic. Calgary (metropolitan area...
Manitoba’s Public Sector Swells While the Private Economy Dwindles
Executive Summary Since 2015 Manitoba has restrained the growth in provincial government administration to a relatively modest 7.9 percent, which is slightly below the growth in the population. Restraint at the provincial level has allowed Manitoba to do slightly...
Suburbanizing Canada: 2021 Census
Canada continues to move to the suburbs, as the 2021 census data shows. This is based on a Statistics Canada analysis on metropolitan (Census Metropolitan Areas, or CMAs) population and change since the 2016 Census. Statistics Canada (Statscan) divides the CMA...
Featured News
Weaponizing the Law
The indictment of former U.S. president Donald Trump for crimes invented by his political opponents is the most egregious example yet seen of the weaponizing of the law. The United States is now full of examples. However, in Canada, we also see the law being...
“Looking At” Seizing Control Over Western Canada’s Natural Resources
OTTAWA, REGINA - Last week, two things happened that could have profound impacts on natural resources development in Saskatchewan. One is a hint the federal government might want to take control of natural resources away from the provinces, and the other is the...
The Role of the CBC
Technological change is challenging traditional broadcasters, including the CBC. The status quo just will not fly. It is always difficult to start talking about changes to the CBC because of the political dynamic around the institution. In this case, technology is...
The Cost Disease Infects Public Education Across Canada
Executive Summary • Professor William Baumol coined the term “the cost disease” to indicate that the cost of consumer products has increased at the rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), while the cost of education and health care have increased at an exponential...
Fiscal Imbalance in Canada: A Look at the Opportunity Costs of Equalization
Executive Summary Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia taxpayers have faced a long-standing fiscal gap between the federal transfers they receive and the transfers they deserve based on their share of federal revenue. The gap between the winners and losers of...
Tapping Into Our Potential: Occupational Freedom and Aboriginal Workers
Executive Summary Obsolete protectionist regulations are the reason Canadian employers are unable to employ more workers in the skilled trades, particularly Aboriginal workers. Canadian employers report difficulty in finding enough skilled workers and labour shortages...
Finding Strength from Within: How Voluntary Outside Accreditation can Advance First Nation Communities
Executive Summary • The Idle No More movement was motivated to a certain degree by opposition to imposed change. • First Nations have historically opposed imposed solutions. First Nations require a new approach. • Some of the most successful initiatives that benefit...
Public Private Partnerships
Introduction On 25th of September, the citizens of Regina will vote in a referendum for the first time in 20 years. The question? Whether the city should use a traditional contract to construct a new wastewater treatment plant or to proceed with the council’s...
Valuation Analysis Of SaskTel
In this policy study, Madsen examines a variety of indicators to ascertain the value of the Saskatchewan government owned SaskTel. Madsen follows well-established practices and methodologies that include two different approaches in order to gain an insight into the monetary worth of the Saskatchewan Crown Corporation. SaskTel is an historic Saskatchewan institution that has played a role in the development of the province. Established in 1908, communication in those days was not universal and did not always extend to every farm or hamlet. It could be very expensive and often impossible to get a telephone line, as well as quite expensive to keep one. The Internet, cellular telephony, cable television – even just television – had yet to be invented.
The Canadian Air Industry and the Case of Porter Airlines: What’s next in the air industry?
This recent turbulence in the skies is not restricted to Canada. Around the world, the airline industry is in a state of flux. This Backgrounder analyzes the growth challenges of Canadian airlines.
Toward More Prosperous Cities: Cities should fight poverty, not increase it
Beyond the rule of law and security, the most important public policy objectives should be to achieve wide-spread affluence and eradicate poverty. Cities, urban policy, and urban transport are means to facilitate this objective, not ends themselves.