Lawrence Herman Re-appointed As C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow
William Robson, President and CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute, announces the re-appointment of Lawrence Herman as a Senior Fellow. “The C.D. Howe Institute has benefitted from Larry’s keen insights into…The ‘Solomon’s Choice’ That Could Render Ottawa’s Carbon-pricing Backstop Unconstitutional – Globe And Mail Op-ed
Starting Dec. 16, the Alberta Court of Appeal will hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act – the so-called carbon-pricing “backstop,” under which Ottawa would impose a price on greenhouse gas emissions in any province where it deemed provincial measures are not sufficiently stringent. The Alberta government’s challenge to the federal backstop is just the latest in a months-long string of appeals-court processes by governments in Ontario and Saskatchewan, where the legislation was upheld; those appeals are now headed to the Supreme Court, which will begin its hearings in March.
So the legal arguments being deployed feel, at this point, quite well-trod. However, the federal…
Brian Mills Appointed As C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow
William Robson, President and CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute, announces the appointment of Brian Mills as a Senior Fellow. “Brian combines valuable experience in policymaking with understanding of business,…Has Canada reached a breaking point or turning point? – Hill Times Op-Ed
Even if it’s a good punchline for late-night comedians, there is nothing inconsistent about building pipelines while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Stranding Canadian oil by blocking pipelines is damaging to both the energy industry and the Canadian economy as a whole. Moreover, it is an ineffective way to reduce our carbon emissions—a price on carbon is the most economically efficient policy tool we have.
By internalizing greenhouse gas externalities in economy-wide decisions, carbon pricing ensures that everyone considers their incremental impact on the global climate. It allocates emission reductions to the activities with the so-called lowest cost of abatement. If oil can be economically produced while facing a carbon…
Trevor Tombe – The Benefits Of Expanding The New West Partnership
From: Trevor Tombe To: Ontarians Date: December 11, 2019 Re: The Benefits of Expanding the New West Partnership Canada will soon celebrate the 25th anniversary of its 1995 Agreement on Internal Trade. Its aim was laudable: to promote an open, efficient and stable domestic market, reduce or eliminate barriers to the movement of persons, goods, services and investment, enhance […] Municipal Budgets Keep Citizens In The Dark: C.D. Howe Institute
Bad budgeting practices impede councillors, taxpayers and voters seeking accountability from city staff and elected representatives, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “From A to F: Grading the Fiscal Transparency of Canada’s Cities, 2019,”…The Bank of Canada and the uncertain outlook for inflation – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The Bank of Canada announced on Wednesday that it was holding its overnight rate target constant at 1.75 per cent. Many analysts had been predicting a lowering of the rate since at least Oct. 30, when the bank also held the rate steady and the U.S. Federal Funds Rate dropped a quarter percentage point.
A recent Reuters poll reports that a majority of forecasters now expect the Canadian central bank to hold its rate constant right through the end of 2020. That will, of course, depend on the course of inflation.
In 2018, the bank was engaged in a tightening cycle and seemed to be on a course toward its long-run “neutral” rate in the range of 2.25 per cent to 3.25 per cent (compatible with an economy at full…
From A to F: Grading the Fiscal Transparency of Canada’s Cities, 2019
December 10, 2019 – Bad budgeting practices impede councillors, taxpayers and voters seeking accountability from city staff and elected representatives, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “From A to F: Grading the Fiscal Transparency of Canada’s Cities, 2019,” authors William B.P. Robson and Farah Omran grade the clarity, comprehensiveness, and […] Peter Tomlinson – Has Land Value Taxation Gained A Toe-hold In Ontario?
From: Peter Tomlinson To: Public Finance Scholars Date: December 10, 2019 Re: Has land value taxation gained a toe-hold in Ontario? The Ontario government’s Bill 108, the More Homes, More Choice Act 2019, aims at making the housing supply more responsive to increased demand. Technically speaking, an increased supply elasticity would mean added housing units – and less dramatic […] S1 E17 – Rigged Housing Markets
Host Michael Hainsworth sits down with economist and Harvard professor Edward Glaeser to talk housing supply, the affordable housing crisis, and and why he believes the housing market is rigged against millennials. C.D. Howe Institute Appoints Rick Ekstein To The Board Of Directors
Hugh L. MacKinnon, Chair of the C.D. Howe Institute’s Board of Directors, announces the appointment of Rick Ekstein as the newest member of the Board. Ekstein was elected when the Board met on November 27, 2019.…Modernizing the regulation of financial advice – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Canada’s investment advisory industry has evolved through consolidation and new products to meet the needs of a more demanding and active investing public over the past two decades. Unfortunately, its regulatory structure has not kept pace. Overlapping regulatory organizations and outdated rules are limiting innovation and efficiency.
Unlike sectors in which industry must petition government agencies for regulatory relief, companies in the investment and mutual-fund industry can propose a better solution for the sector and Canadian investors. And as I argue in a recent C.D. Howe Institute report, the time is ripe for a merger.
First, a little background. The bulk of the financial advice industry operates through dealer…