Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in children. Over the past 30 years, ASD prevalence has risen by 600 per cent. It is sometimes claimed that families living with ASD are migrating to Alberta to access higher funding for ASD support. Prevalence estimation has an important role in informing policy […]
The property tax is effectively the tax source of municipal governments in Canada. But lately, many commentators and municipal politicians are arguing that property tax is no longer adequate to finance the public services and infrastructure that large cities, like Edmonton and Calgary, need to provide. They insist that cities should be given the power […]
Given the large Caribbean diaspora in Toronto and Montreal, and the fact that a great number of Canadian vacationers escape to Caribbean destinations every winter, there is no question that connections between Canada and the Caribbean are important. Canadian businesses have also made major investments in the Caribbean, especially in the finance and resource sectors. […]
The government of British Columbia has made LNG for export a cornerstone of its economic strategy. There is no question that Asia needs more energy. So the future for Canada’s LNG exports seems bright – but is it? A ground-breaking report released today by The School of Public Policy at a press conference and business […]
What is the main reason for government debt accumulation in Canada? Is the main driver of debt the public policy choices made by governments, or are non-policy factors, like interest rates and the economic environment to blame? Answering this question is the first step for governments to take in order to get that debt under […]
In December 2012, prompted by the proposed purchase of Nexen by the Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) CNOOC, the federal government announced revised guidelines for investments by SOEs in the oil sands. Declaring that the Nexen sale marked “the end of a trend and not the beginning of a trend,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper explained that, […]
As anyone paying attention during the 2008–2009 financial crisis is aware, the Canadian financial system weathered the storm uniquely well. Exactly why Canada’s system remained so comparatively stable, while so many other foreign systems broke down, is a question that remains largely unsettled. One explanation may be that the regulatory system that emerged from a […]
Canada’s roads, bridges, wastewater treatment centres and sewer systems are over the hill. In the next 10-15 years, Canadian cities will face some seriously expensive bills. But what is the best way to fund needed infrastructure? For many reasons, the best solution is one that municipalities are most reluctant to implement: user fees. In a […]
Fuelled by the province’s booming energy sector, Alberta’s two largest cities have experienced extraordinary growth, both surpassing one million in the last decade. Traditionally, Calgary and Edmonton have focused on suburban expansion to accommodate their growing populations, but those cities are now moving down different development paths. In a report released today by The School […]