The 9th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey was released by the Frontier Centre today. The survey encompasses 337 metro areas in the English speaking world, including 35 in Canada. Canadian housing affordability decreased slightly in 2012, despite decreases in unaffordability in several BC markets, including Vancouver.
Media Release
Media Release – Common Sense Education I: What’s Wrong With Our Schools?
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy, in conjunction with the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, today released the first video in a new series on education reform. The series, Common Sense Education, gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system.
Media Release – High Canadian Airfares are Hurting Airports and Our Economy: A New Policy is Required for Airport Transportation
Canadians are crossing the border into the United States to fly from their airports because departing from Canada is so much more expensive. The tax portion of the Canadian air ticket is ratcheted up with hefty federal fees and taxes. The US sees air transportation as essential to economic growth, while Canada sees it as a source of tax revenue.
Media Release – Massive Cost Overrun for Calgary’s West LRT Line a Reminder that Rail is Rarely as Cheap as Advertised
Calgary’s West LRT line opened today. The project cost more than double the initial $700 million estimate. While the cost escalation is greater than occurs on average for urban rail projects, the reality is that the average North American urban rail project costs over 40 percent more than estimated, and garners 60 per cent less ridership than projected. Voters should be sceptical of rosy forecasts for light rail projects.
Featured News
Time to Stop Lockdowns, Vaccine Mandates and Crushing Our Charter of Rights
If one was to discuss the state of the world’s democracies in September of 2019, it would look entirely different than it does today in 2022. Three years ago, Canadians generally thought that: our democracy was relatively strong and citizens would defend their...
Propaganda Rules the World
One of the greatest books that explain how the world works is Propaganda by Edward Bernays. The man dubbed “the father of public relations” applied the psychological ideas of his uncle Sigmund Freud upon the masses, triggering their basic motivations to the benefit of...
Media Release – Five Quick Thoughts in Favour of the Flat Tax
The moral implications of progressive taxation versus single rate taxation should be considered for what they are, and it is up to voters to decide whether a system that takes “extra” money from a minority simply because it can, truly reflects their own moral preferences. They should also consider whether or not they truly want a society where the majority uses the tax system to prey on the minority.
Media Release: Municipalities are Failing to Adequately Disclose Taxi Regulation to the Public
Municipalities responsible for taxi regulation should publish regular (perhaps quarterly or annual) reports of key facts relating to the economic implications of taxi regulation. Licences are not the property of licencees but rather a privilege that is granted by government on behalf of the public. In turn, the public has a right to be informed about the use of these licences.
Media Release – Time for Schools to End Social Promotion
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy today released a study from research associate and high school teacher Michael Zwaagstra and University of Manitoba education professor Rodney Clifton. The study looked at the practice of social promotion—passing students who...
Media Release – Municipal Land-Grabbing Powers Should be Curtailed
”This example demonstrates the need for clear legislative reform for individual property owners who find themselves in similar situations. A process to allow municipalities to expropriate for dubious economic development purposes also exists in other provinces and in jurisdictions outside Canada. However, there are encouraging signs in that many jurisdictions, particularly in the United States, have taken proactive steps to prevent this abuse of individual property rights; as such, they provide a model for Canadian provinces.”
Media Release – Better Accounting Could Solve Funding Headaches for Rural Roads
In other parts of the world, rural government jurisdictions faced similar challenges and responded by charging users in proportion to the exceptional damage they cause. This is the “exceptional user-pays” principle.
Media Release – Manitobans Split on Whether to Sell Water to the United States
New Frontier Centre poll shows 46% of Manitobans would sell water from Hudson’s Bay to the U.S.
Media Release – Free Parking v. Sensible Cities
A new Frontier Centre backgrounder, How Free is Your Parking?, notes that so-called “free” parking has detrimental effects on economic development, undermine the transportation system, and come at a high cost to low-income households.
Media Release: Frontier Centre releases 2009 Environmental Indicators Index
According to the most important indicators of environmental progress, the condition of Canada’s natural environment is improving, and our natural resources are being sustainably managed.
Media Release – Frontier Centre releases 2009 Aboriginal Governance Index
The Frontier Centre’s has released the results of the third annual Aboriginal Governance Index; it evaluates First Nation communities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and now Alberta, in the Index for the first time, and where a reserve scored first place this year and took home our $50,000 Big Bear prize.