Jennifer Robson – Why Can’t They Just Send Us All A Cheque?
From: Jennifer Robson To: Federal data system designers Date: April 3, 2020 Re: Why can’t they just send us all a cheque? Right now, the Government of Canada is racing to roll out income support to allow people to make ends meet while respecting public health orders to sustain physical distancing to contain the threat […] Mark Zelmer – Managing The Economic Consequences Of The Coronavirus Pandemic
From: Mark Zelmer To: Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance Date: April 2, 2020 Re: Managing the Economic Consequences of the Coronavirus Pandemic The social distancing intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus has shut large segments of the Canadian and global economies, disrupting the ability to produce, consume and pay for goods and services. High uncertainty about how […] Kevin Milligan – Fortifying The Cerb
From: Kevin Milligan To: Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance Date: March 31, 2020 Re: Fortifying the CERB The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will deliver economic support to Canadians thrown out of work by the COVID-19 crisis. Its overall structure provides a solid platform for supporting Canadian families, but more policy work is needed to fortify the CERB so […] Edward Waitzer – Fairness To Tenants: The Urgent Need For A Nationally Coordinated Policy Response
From: Edward Waitzer To: Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Date: March 30, 2020 Re: Fairness to tenants – the urgent need for a nationally coordinated policy response Residential tenancies represent more than a third of the national housing stock. Given their relative income profiles, one would have thought tenants in […] Wage Subsidies and Emergency Financial Support Needed: Crisis Working Group on Household Income and Credit Support
March 27, 2020 – The C.D. Howe Institute has established an expert crisis working group for household income and credit support, chaired by Michael Horgan, Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones LLP and former Deputy Minister of Finance, Government of Canada. The group’s first meeting was held on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 to identify and prioritize key risks for households during the crisis, and consider policy options and recommendations.
The working group calls for governments to help businesses, not-for-profits and individuals pay their bills and stay afloat during the crisis. Financial supports are particularly needed for small businesses and individuals in industries that have experienced massive layoffs, including the…
Jeremy Kronick on The West Block – Wage subsidy and quantitative easing are good first steps
Jeremy Kronick, Associate Director at the C.D. Howe Institute, joins The West Block to talk about the government announcement on wage subsidies and the lowering of interest rates.
Dachis, Bishop, Robson – An Ounce Of Layoff Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Income-support Cure
To: Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau, Minister of Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen, and Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board From: Benjamin Dachis, Grant Bishop and William B.P. Robson Re: An ounce of layoff prevention is worth a pound of income-support cure Date: March 27, […] Subsidize Wages, Backstop Credit, Protect Supply Chains: C.D. Howe Institute Business Continuity and Trade Crisis Working Group
March 26, 2020 – In order to help Canadian governments confront the public health and economic crisis resulting from the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the C.D. Howe Institute has established a working group to address challenges for business continuity and trade. The group, co-chaired by Dwight Duncan, Senior Strategic Advisor at McMillan LLP and former Ontario Minister of Finance, and Jeanette Patell, Vice-President of Government Affairs and Policy for GE Canada, held its first meeting on March 24, 2020.
In this meeting, the group of economists and industry experts recommended urgent and immediate implementation of measures by Canada’s federal government to ensure continuity for businesses and not-for-profits – and preserve…
Job Subsidy Is Key To Getting Through The Covid-19 Crisis – Toronto Star Op-ed
The spread of COVID-19 and public health measures to combat it have delivered an unprecedented shock to Canada’s economy. Businesses and not-for-profits are closing. Recent Employment Insurance (EI) claims suggest the unemployment rate is headed for double digits.
The economic distress is compounding the direct impact of the disease, and may ultimately overshadow it. Unemployment and financial distress hurt physical and mental health, and the implosion of the private-sector economy is propagating that damage. So just as Canadian policymakers must mitigate the health impacts, they must mitigate the economic impacts.
Governments elsewhere have stepped in to support jobs with direct wage subsidies. Canada’s federal government…
William B.P. Robson And Grant Bishop – Job Subsidy From Ottawa Is Key To Getting Through The Covid-19 Crisis
From: William B.P. Robson and Grant Bishop To: Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland Date: March 25, 2020 Re: Job subsidy from Ottawa is key to getting through the COVID-19 crisis The spread of COVID-19 and public health measures to combat it have delivered an unprecedented shock to Canada’s economy. Businesses and not-for-profits are […] Gillezeau, Petit, Tedds – Recommendations For Immediate Provincial Policy Responses To Covid-19
From: Rob Gillezeau, Gillian Petit and Lindsay Tedds To: COVID response policymakers Date: March 24, 2020 Re: Recommendations for Immediate Provincial Policy Responses to COVID-19 With COVID-19 sweeping across the globe, conditions in Canada are, unfortunately, likely to get worse before they get better. Given the scale of the wealth shock in stock markets alone – ignoring the […] Samuel, Robson – The Economy Needs A Timeline
To: Federal COVID policymakers From: David Samuel and William Robson Re: The economy needs a timeline Date: March 23, 2020 COVID-19 poses a threat to Canada’s economy that is unique in modern times. People are self-isolating, businesses and not-for-profits are cutting back or closing, and workers are losing their jobs. The consequences – including the health impact of […]