Among the most stress-filled possible jobs, undoubtedly there is one new CEO opening that will top most of them – the Chief Mail Delivery Officer for Canada. There are many iconic symbols of Canada, but, if it ever was one, Canada Post certainly has long ceded that...
Ever since Wilbur and Orville Wright proved that heavier than air machines could indeed fly, safety has been the first priority when it comes to air travel. Engines and chassis are inspected and re-inspected. It only makes sense that if some gizmo in your car engine...
The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is increasingly unable to turn its reported profits into cash. While BDC is considered to be a venture capitalist corporation, this does not seem to be the reason for its illiquidity; other companies in the same line of...
Greyhound Canada stunned many in Western Canada with a surprise, summer announcement that it’s pulling its buses out of all four Western provinces. The July 9 statement blames an aging population, urban migration and competition from ultra low-cost airlines like Swoop...
It seems like everything is about justice these days. Recently, as I drove home from the store, I saw a sign for the elections here in New York from the local Democratic Party, promising “equity, equality, and justice for all.” Beyond the obvious concerns any sane...
The “secret graves” and “missing children” narrative had our national flag flying at half-mast for over five months after an obscure indigenous politician made the startling claim that she “knew” that 215 indigenous children had been secretly buried in the “apple...
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.
A new study by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy is urging Saskatchewan’s government to convert its subsidized bus company into a brokerage.
Inter-city bus service is vital to rural Canada, yet has diminished throughout the country over the last few decades. The old model of cross-subsidizing unprofitable rural routes with profitable urban routes has broken down. The study recommends full liberalization of provincial inter-city bus markets, and the introduction of a least-cost subsidy system for unprofitable, socially desirable routes.
Inter-city bus ridership has decreased in Canada over the last several decades. However, the thriving curbside bus industry in the US and in Southern Ontario demonstrates that there is significant growth potential for a liberalized inter-city bus industry. While urban service would increase under liberalization, rural service would likely continue to decrease. To maintain rural ridership, provinces should create a system of least-cost subsidies to ensure that companies are willing to serve otherwise unprofitable, but socially desirable routes.
Apparently Quebec's environment affairs has problems with plans to import crude from Alberta's oil sands to Montreal refineries. Daniel Breton, a former environmental activist, mentioned that there are "environmental risks with oil." He then made specific mention of a...
Public transportation used to be an afterthought in mid-sized North American cities. There now appears to be a consensus that public transportation is important for moving people around the core of relatively dense cities. Unfortunately, rather than focusing on practical improvement, many politicians and transit advocates are trying to rush too far in the other direction.
The Government of Alberta has announced that it will expedite plans to compete the twinning of Highway 63.
PowerPoint slides which accompanied Barry Prentice’s speech The Future for Transport to Canada’s North: Airships and Other Options that he gave in Winnipeg, October 9, 2012.
Richard Neufeld, a former B.C. energy minister and oil and gas industry booster, now says publicly he doubts Enbridge will be able to build the Northern Gateway pipeline even if the company obtains federal approval. First Nations protests across BC (Alberta bands are...