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 […] Safeguard Critical Supply Chains by Addressing Weak Links: Crisis Working Group on Business Continuity and Trade
April 2, 2020 – At the second meeting of the C.D. Howe Institute Crisis Working Group on Business Continuity and Trade on Tuesday, March 31, the group underscored the importance of government action to safeguard supply chains for critical goods – and address potential bottlenecks in the transport of goods by truck domestically and internationally.
The group of industry experts and economists, 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, urged governments to work closely with industry to address bottlenecks, but advised caution with regards to direct intervention or taking over supply…
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 […] Jenkins, Kronick – Covid-19: A Macroeconomic Narrative
From: Paul Jenkins and Jeremy M. Kronick To: Canadians Looking to Understand the Times Date: April 2, 2020 Subject: COVID-19: A Macroeconomic Narrative These are highly uncertain times, as we individually and collectively face the challenges of COVID-19. With the many complexities – both health and economic related – is there a simple narrative that […] COVID-19 Exposes Cracks in the System: Crisis Working Group on Public Health and Emergency Measures
April 1, 2020 – The Public Health and Emergency Measures crisis working group is supported by a group of health academics, professionals and business leaders and chaired by Janet Davidson, Chair of the Canadian Institute for Health Information’s Board of Directors, former Alberta Deputy Minister of Health, and C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow. The working group’s first meeting was held March 27, 2020.
The presence of COVID-19 in communities, unlike SARS where cases were primarily concentrated in a hospital setting, broadens the scope of treatment and adds complexity to managing the spread of disease. The challenge of ensuring adequate quantities of medicines and testing reagents, for instance, has been compounded by border…
Time of the Essence for CEBA: Crisis Working Group on Monetary and Financial Measures
April 1, 2020 – The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary and Financial Measures Working Group, supported by a group of financial market experts, and co-chaired by former Governor of the Bank of Canada David Dodge and former Deputy Superintendent of OSFI Mark Zelmer, held its second meeting on Monday, March 30, 2020.
The working group agreed that, while there is a need for governments and central banks to monitor the effect of current crisis measures on debt and potential future inflation, these concerns are not a short-run issue and should not come at the expense of the immediate need for large-scale fiscal stimulus. To that end, the Monetary and Financial Measures Working Group recommends the following:
Quickly…Hitting Home: Hours And Wages Lost To Covid-19 By Location, Age, Income And Education
The economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak have begun to take hold. The need to socially distance to slow the spread of infections has resulted in many office closures, work stoppages and supply-chain disruptions. This edition of Graphic Intelligence examines recent poll data on the effect the current crisis is having on household income and […]Filling the Gap: Emergency Funding Programs and Asset-Based Finance in Times of Economic Crisis
Large-Scale Funding Program Needed to Bolster Asset-Based Finance During Crisis The federal government should have a large-scale funding program in place to bolster asset-based finance during the current crisis, author David Powell argues in his latest research. The asset-based finance (ABF) industry is critical to the functioning of the economy. In 2018, the value of ABF […] Large-scale Funding Program Needed To Bolster Asset-based Finance During Crisis
The federal government should have a large-scale funding program in place to bolster asset-based finance during the current crisis, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Filling the Gap: Emergency Funding Programs and Asset-Based Finance in…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 […] Ambler, Kronick – Financing The Covid Deficit: Short And Long Runs
To: Government debt watchers From: Steve Ambler and Jeremy M. Kronick Date: March 31, 2020 Re: Financing the COVID Deficit: Short and Long Runs The federal government is ramping up spending to counteract the economic impact of the coronavirus. The Parliamentary Budget Office has predicted a deficit of more than $110 billion this year. And […] Phil Oreopoulos – An Evidence-based Approach To Education During A Pandemic
To: Canada’s ministries of education From: Phil Oreopoulos Re: An evidence-based approach to education during a pandemic Date: March 30, 2020 The physical closing of schools is among the unprecedented COVID-19 disruptions across the world. Schools across Canada are planning to keep doors shut to millions of students until at least summer, and some indefinitely. Multiple studies have […]