Catherine L. Mann – Four Challenges Of Inclusive Growth From The Oecd’s Chief Economist
From: Catherine L. Mann To: Concerned Canadians Date: September 12, 2017 Re: Four Challenges of Inclusive Growth from the OECD’s chief economist 1. The challenge of measuring inclusiveness. A standard metric for measuring inequality is the Gini coefficient, which measures income distribution within an economy. But there are many other measures, such as distribution of income deciles, […] Jon Johnson – Investor State Dispute Settlement Dies if US Withdraws from NAFTA
From: Jon Johnson To: Joshua Bolten, President and CEO, Business Roundtable And to: Thomas J. Donohue President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce And to: Jay Timmons, President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers Date: September 13, 2017 Re: Investor State Dispute Settlement Dies if US Withdraws from NAFTA Three weeks ago you wrote to Ambassador Lighthizer, […]Ottawa Should Seize Opportunity To Reform Tax Rules For Charitable Donations
While controversy swirls around the federal government’s small business tax reform proposals, Ottawa has a significant opportunity to open a rich vein of wealth for Canada’s charitable sector and simultaneously increase tax planning options for owners of private company shares and real estate, according to a report by the C.D. Howe Institute. In “No Need […] Rosalie Wyonch – Let’s Untangle Work Integrated Learning
To: The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour From: Rosalie Wyonch Date: September 12, 2017 Re: Let’s Untangle Work Integrated Learning The Government of Canada is rolling out a $73-million investment in the Student Work-Integrated Learning Program to create 10,000 paid student work placements over the next four years and “help bridge the gap” between […] J. Rhys Kesselman – Broader Policies Needed To Restore Housing Affordability
From: J. Rhys Kesselman To: Premiers of British Columbia and Ontario Date: September 11, 2017 Re: Broader Policies Needed To Restore Housing Affordability The major metropolitan areas of your province are suffering extreme unaffordability of housing. The policy measures taken to date have slowed rapid price appreciation—but prices remain far out of line with median […] Blake Shaffer – An Ontario surprise: a good idea about electricity pricing
From: Blake Shaffer To: Glenn Thibeault, Ontario Minister of Energy and Rosemarie Leclair, Chair of the Ontario Energy Board Date: September10, 2017 Re: An Ontario surprise: a good idea about electricity pricing There is no shortage of Ontario electricity policies to criticize, butthe Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) recently announced pilot programs to test new ways to […] Ontario makes a hash of marijuana retail distribution: Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Ontario has announced that it will restrict retail of recreational marijuana to LCBO-run stores. Only 40 of these locations will be in place by next July 1, the federal target date for decriminalization, with a total of 150 locations expected by 2020. While this plan gets some things right, it is a missed opportunity and nearly the most ineffective possible choice to accomplish the goals of minimizing the black market and protecting public health.
First, while 40 retail locations may sound sufficient, compare that with the at least 100 retail storefronts and delivery services for marijuana currently advertised in Toronto alone. Having few retail locations means that access to recreational marijuana will be inconvenient for a…
Robson and Laurin – Investment Risks in an Expanded CPP
From: Alexandre Laurin and William Robson To: Participants in the Canada Pension Plan Date: September 7, 2017 Re: Investment Risks in an Expanded CPP Our report in April, Bigger CPP, Bigger Risks, highlighted the possibility that disappointing investment returns in the expanded Canada Pension Plan (CPP2) will force younger Canadians to bail the plan out, […]Closing the Divide: Progress and Challenges in Adult Skills Development among Indigenous Peoples
Closing the skills gap between working-age Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians is essential for the economic success of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, according to a report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Closing the Divide: Progress and Challenges in Adult Skills Development among Indigenous Peoples,” authors Parisa Mahboubi and Colin Busby find both progress and challenges in […] Closing Indigenous Skills Gaps Key To Future Success
Closing the skills gap between working-age Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians is essential for the economic success of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, according to a report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Closing the Divide: Progress and Challenges in Adult Skills…Jon Johnson – Another Fly in the NAFTA Ointment
As NAFTA renegotiations proceed through the summer and fall, the C.D. Howe Institute Intelligence Memos will be looking at what to expect and provide analysis on the latest developments at the table. This post is part of that series. From: Jon Johnson To: The Honourable Ministers of International Trade, and Foreign Affairs Date: September 7, […]Bank of Canada fuelling uncertainty with poor messaging on rates: Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Before Wednesday’s Bank of Canada interest-rate hike, financial markets had priced in only a 50-50 chance of such a move. This means that half the market believed the bank would hold rates steady, creating significant market uncertainty.
Uncertainty has big economic costs for consumers and businesses alike. Does the bank need to continue to improve its communication to alleviate these costs? The short answer is yes – but the question is how.
The thinking on options tends to fall into two camps. In the first camp are those arguing for publishing a conditional interest-rate forecast. One of the primary benefits of such a conditional forecast is to provide realistic expectations to financial markets. Businesses and…