Benjamin Dachis – Supply Constraints Drive Housing Prices Spikes
From: Benjamin Dachis To: Steve Clark, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Date: April 1, 2022 Re: Supply Constraints Drive Housing Prices Spikes This week’s announcement from the Ontario government of their planned actions on housing shows more is still needed to truly solve the housing cost crisis. And the Union of British Columbia […] Milton, Kerr-Wilson, Burbank – Time to Repave the Information Highway
From: Leslie Milton, Jay Kerr-Wilson and Paul Burbank To: François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Date: February 11, 2022 Re: Time to Repave the Information Highway Next-generation broadband networks are key enablers of Canada’s future economic and social prosperity. The new 5G technology is expected to be transformative; adding billions of dollars to Canada’s gross domestic product, […]Under Water: Where is the flood insurance coverage? – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The recent terrible B.C. floods have confirmed how unprepared we are for climate change and severe weather events. The extensive damage in British Columbia has been in the spotlight; a similar event in another province would have many of the same disastrous consequences. The federal and B.C. governments announced this week they will spend $228-million to help affected farmers and their communities return to normal production activity.
What can be done to help protect the value of physical assets from climate risk – specifically housing and commercial buildings? More universal access to flood insurance is the most obvious risk-management tool, along with significant investment in public infrastructure to build resilience. However…
Building Bridges for 5G: How to Overcome the Infrastructure Barriers to Deployment of Canada’s Next-Generation Broadband Networks
Next-generation broadband networks are poised to be key enablers of Canada’s future economic and social prosperity. 5G alone is expected to be transformative, generating billions in additional gross domestic product, thousands of jobs, and myriad social benefits.Expedient deployment of these networks and realization of the economic and social benefits they will produce depend on timely […] Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Seniors’ Care After COVID-19
Transformative Change Needed in Senior’s Care Major investments and significant changes should be made in the long-term care sector, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. Author Rosalie Wyonch recommends expansions in both residential and homecare so Canadian seniors can receive care when they want it, where they want it. The report […] Kevin Milligan – Three Principles for a Fall Economic Statement
From: Kevin Milligan To: Canadian fiscal observers Date: November 26, 2021 Re: Three Principles for a Fall Economic Statement Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s impending Fall Economic Statement will divulge some good news, impart some bad news, and set the stage for some tough choices. The good news will be that federal revenues are likely to be much higher than […]Expensive Endings: Reining In the High Cost of End-of-Life Care in Canada
Canada’s Sky-High Costs for End-of-Life Care Need Solutions Despite spending more on medical care delivered at the end-of-life than other high-income countries, Canada performs poorly on most measures of healthcare quality – meaning Canadians are not getting value for their money, according to a new report released by the C.D. Howe Institute. Authors Kieran Quinn, […] William B.P. Robson – The Election’s Over And Canada’s Spending Bill Is Coming Due
From: William B.P. Robson To: Canadian voters Date: September 21, 2021 Re: The Election’s Over and Canada’s Spending Bill is Coming Due Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell got pilloried in 1993 for saying an election is no time to discuss serious issues. Yet in September 2021, her words ring true. Foreign policy? We all but ignore the rest […] How Will Canadians Feel About Today’s Campaign Promises When The Bill Comes Due? – Globe And Mail Op-ed
Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell got pilloried in 1993 for saying an election is no time to discuss serious issues. Yet in September 2021, her words ring true. Foreign policy? We all but ignore the rest of the world. Monetary policy? Not something to think about, even with inflation above 4 per cent. Fiscal policy? Almost no one is talking about whether, over time, we will be willing and able to finance all the goodies being added to the federal budget.
The thing about serious issues is that, whether we discuss them during an election or not, they don’t go away. Even if borrowing stays cheap, the binge of deep-discount government spending is ending. Our discussions about fiscal policy will get serious when we are back to paying…
Dachis, Kronick – Campaign Housing Platforms Conceal A Central Flaw
To: Canadian housing watchers From: Benjamin Dachis and Jeremy M. Kronick Date: September 15, 2021 Re: Campaign Housing Platforms Conceal a Central Flaw All the major political parties have put out their plans to deal with the housing market crises in Canada’s cities. The focus is on affordability; how to make home ownership easier for Canadians currently priced out […] The Parties’ Housing Promises Are Built On Unsound Foundations – Financial Post Op-ed
A basic principle of good governance in Canada is that governments set mandates for crown corporations and regulatory authorities and those arm’s-length institutions then make use of the tools at their disposal to design actual policies. This principle is under threat on the campaign trail as politicians weigh in on one of the issues voters care most about these days, housing affordability.
All parties have put out ideas and plans for taming Canada’s housing markets. They all acknowledge the need to increase supply — which at the end of the day is the only real long-term fix — while trying to free up extra cash for people to make a down payment on a home in their desired neighbourhood. But in the blizzard of proposals there…
Conference Report – Rebuilding Better: Local Content and Public Procurement Rules
The C.D. Howe Institute held a special Policy Seminar on local content and public procurement rules on June 9th, 2021. The backdrop for the seminar was the sense of opportunity but also the challenges emanating from a “rebuilding better” infrastructure agenda in Canada and many countries following the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgency […]