Damage from rail car accidents far exceed pipeline leaks, as tanker trains are routed through cities and towns, exposing millions of Canadians to safety hazards. Worst of all was the 2013 derailment that killed 47 people in Lac-Megantic Quebec.
Transportation
Unethical Electric Cars
Anyone who says electric cars will save the world is dreaming. The adoption of electric cars over the next 20 years will barely shave a single percent from the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, the batteries that power these cars rely on a nightmarish swath...
Vancouver-Portland High-Speed Train Would Be a Costly Extravagance
The preliminary report forecasts that it will take $30 billion to $55 billion to complete. Experience suggests costs would likely be much higher. There are two principal problems. The first is that high-speed rail routinely costs much more than planned. The second is...
Wendell Cox joins Global News to discuss the advantages, or disadvantages to implementing a High Speed Train from Vancouver to Portland. (~10 minutes)
Featured News
Canadians on the Move, to Smaller Communities
The Canadian Dream is increasingly being realized in smaller areas For decades, Canadians moved to the larger cities (census metropolitan areas, or CMAs) with their economic opportunities. The latest estimates indicate that CMAs have 72 per cent of the nation’s...
Leadership Needed in Canadian Healthcare; Apply Within
When the Premiers were first called to a sit-down lunch to talk about healthcare with Prime Minister Trudeau, there was plenty of talk about the potential for systemic change, innovation and accountability. It seemed that Canadians and their leaders were finally on...
Ferries to Relieve Traffic Congestion?
The new football stadium in the south end of Winnipeg has tremendous gridlock, requiring many fans to leave several hours early to arrive on time. Traffic in southern Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe is some of the worst in the world. In each case, ferries are being floated as a potential alternative to driving. It’s not clear how much they can practically do to relieve congestion, but it is certainly greater than zero. Given the cost of congestion mitigation, it may become economical in both instances.
What Lessons Will We Learn From the Lac Mégantic Tragedy?
The explosion, shocking loss of life and the incineration of idyllic downtown Lac Mégantic, Québec, is a catastrophe for the ages. The tragedy, however, allows us to learn new lessons. The Transportation Safety Board will investigate the causes of the accident, and wider policy questions are being asked about the security of towns built along rail lines and the safety of transporting oil by rail.
Nation-Wide Voters Shouldn’t (Unknowingly) Vote on Local Road Closures
Should the City of Winnipeg close Plessis Road during construction? If you’re not from Winnipeg, you likely don’t have an answer. It’s exceedingly unlikely that any more than 14 federal MPs have the slightest clue. Yet, the entire national electorate has essentially (and unknowingly) made this decision in the affirmative.
Taxis’ Fare Road to Profit: Restricted supply has inflated value of vancouver licence to $800,000
Gary Tarantino owns arguably the most valuable taxi in Vancouver, in an industry already known for its breathtakingly high licence values. Tarantino’s Licence 70384 could easily command more than $1 million in a business where the average Vancouver taxi costs $800,000. That’s because he is the last holdout of independent taxi owners in an industry where all of the other 687 licences are held by the city’s four taxi companies.
Grabbing Money with Both Hands
Grabbing money with both hands (and not letting go) is the image that sums up the essence of what the California mega project to build a high speed train from Sacramento to San Diego is all about. Currently guesstimated at $68 billion, of which only $12 billion appear...
Restructuring Saskatchewan’s Bus Transportation Subsidy Policy
Introduction The Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) is the main provider of bus passenger transportation services in Saskatchewan. Formed in 1946, the company is one of the province’s original government-owned enterprises. Until the early 1980s, STC managed to...
Media Release – Competition can give Saskatchewan inter-city bus riders more for less
Saskatchewan’s inter-city bus ridership levels have declined significantly over the last several decades, while subsidy levels have climbed to $10.5 million in 2012. Saskatchewan should follow states such as Washington, which has de-regulated fares and scheduling, while providing subsidies for unprofitable routes that are socially desirable through a least-cost system awarding routes to carriers willing to do so for the lowest subsidy level possible.
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.
Media Release – What’s Next in the Air Industry?: The Canadian Air Industry and the Case of Porter Airlines
Today, the Frontier Centre for Public Policy issued The Canadian Air Industry and the Case of Porter Airlines, authored by Mary-Jane Bennett. There have been big changes in the Canadian aviation sector. Porter Airlines announced an ambitious expansion last month. WestJet, built on the low-cost model and now in the international market, announced the launch of subsidiary, Encore, to debut this summer. Legacy carrier Air Canada intends to launch its new subsidiary, rouge, this summer as well.