New Brunswick Losing Share of Equalization Pie
Telegraph Journal reporter Chris Morris discusses an AIMS publication that analyzes the declining share of equalization payments to Atlantic Canada.
Time to Adjust Our Appetite
The Telegraph Journal editorial board discusses an AIMS publication analyzing the declining share of equalization payments to New Brunswick and urges the government in that province to "
Electricity Union to Benefit Atlantic Canadians
Political considerations will always be present, but policy objectives need to be defined with the customer always in mind. The goal should be to benefit customers in terms of reliable service at reasonable rates. Increased co-operation between the Atlantic provinces can help achieve these objectives, ensuring that consumers realize the full benefits of the opportunities that will be available in the years ahead. AIMS Senior Fellow in Electricity Policy Gordon Weil discusses his latest paper on the potential for cooperation in Atlantic Canada on the radio!
Drop in Gas Prices Stirs Deregulation Debate in Nova Scotia
AIMS President and CEO Marco Navarro-Genie discusses gas price regulation in Nova Scotia and argues that "The people who are setting the prices for the regulatory body don't seem to get it all together straight and have consistently added prices that are higher."
Study: Atlantic Utilities Could Collaborate
Muskrat Falls could be a catalyst for more regional co-operation on electricity, says a new study by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies. The paper, released Thursday, concludes that transmission links being built for the $6.9-billion hydro project in Labrador should spur the Atlantic provinces and their electrical utilities to work together more. Gordon Weil, the think-tank’s senior fellow on electricity policy, said power line expansion — including the $1.5-billion Maritime Link — could be used to make the region’s grid more efficient and less expensive to operate. “The transmission associated with Muskrat Falls creates the opportunity for improved regional co-operation, ” Weil said in an interview from Harpswell, Maine. The hydro project’s backers say the benefits of the ratepayer-funded link include better transmission capacity and more options for electricity imports.
MEDIA RELEASE: NEW STUDY SURVEYS ATLANTIC CANADA’S ELECTRICITY SECTOR
AIMS Senior Fellow in Electricity Policy Gordon Weil surveys recent developments, reviews the status of the sector, and examines opportunities for further beneficial evolution in "Taking Stock of Atlantic Canada's Electricity Sector."
War Against Islamic State Extremists
AIMS Senior Fellow in Security and Defence Robert Murray discusses Canada's involvement in the war with ISIS.
NSTU and Standardized Testing
AIMS Fellow in Common Sense Education Michael Zwaagstra discusses his latest column published in the Chronicle Herald, which outlines an argument for standardized testing in Nova Scotia, on News 95.7!
Does Canada Need a Program of Subsidized Universal Daycare?
AIMS Director of Research and Programmes Ben Eisen discusses whether Canada should adopt a program of subsidized universal daycare.
Stephenson: NDP Made Deals We Can’t Afford
Last week, a report by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies called for a 14,000-job reduction in civil service jobs in Atlantic Canada. It noted that the four provinces in this region are well above the national average in the number of public-sector jobs they have, compared with private-sector jobs. In Nova Scotia, for instance, there are 99 provincial or municipal public-sector jobs for every 1,000 residents. The national average is 83. In New Brunswick, the figure is 84 jobs for every 1,000 residents. The study also found that in Nova Scotia, public-sector jobs account for 30 per cent of all wages paid. The national average is 22 per cent. The growing gap between private-sector workers and public-sector employees is a huge economic problem for this province, and one of the factors that is driving more young Nova Scotians to leave in search of a more level playing field.