Delivering effective government services is important for policymakers to get right. Unfortunately, Atlantic Canada lags behind in offering e-services through the internet and mobile devices. Effective e-government makes dealing with state agencies more efficient and convenient for taxpayers and businesses. E-government can also give jurisdictions a competitive economic edge. For instance, the Eastern [...]
On Oct 6, 2016, AIMS President Marco Navarro-Génie was a guest on Radio-Canada Halifax to discuss the AIMS study "Seven Habits of Highly Effective First Nations," authored by Tom Flanagan and Lee Harding. The interview is in French.
Halifax’s traffic congestion is a drag on the local economy, with residents wasting countless hours commuting. Unfortunately, the idea of a commuter rail line to augment the city buses is not financially viable. Plus, none of the most important downtown destinations lies on an existing track. A better solution is a Bus [...]
Great Britain is a model for sound economic policy. Since 2010, the UK has created more jobs than the rest of the European Union combined. Today, the unemployment rate is 4.9 percent, an eleven-year low. To achieve this success, British governments respond quickly to stormy economic clouds. When the economy slows, they cut [...]
In the National Post, AIMS policy analyst Jackson Doughart argues that the Maritime custom of saying that foreign-born people "come from away" is a product of the provinces' poor economies and mistrust of Upper Canada. To soften the region's "parochial edge," governments must adopt pro-growth policies to counter worrying demography. Read the piece on the [...]
Canada’s First Nations are divided on the issue of pipelines. While the Energy East project is supported by the Indian Resource Council, other groups oppose it. Stakeholders are right to insist on stringent environmental assessments. But they should also consider the opportunity that responsible resource production accrues to them. Many First Nations are [...]
In his latest column, AIMS VP Research John Williamson looks at New Brunswick's economic position. He argues the answer to the province's economic woes is not to hire more in-house government "experts". Rather, good tax policy is what matters and evidence is available from successful economies in Canada and beyond. This article originally appeared in [...]
Natural gas has great promise as a fuel source. It is cleaner, more efficient, and cheaper than petroleum. But despite more businesses making the switch, costs in Atlantic Canada have risen. Local prices are higher than in Western Canada, sometimes substantially so. Part of the reason is our region’s dependence on imported natural [...]
In Atlantic Canada, school enrollment has dropped 19 percent since the year 2000. These are worrying numbers. The next generation’s base of labour and taxes is shrinking. Families are moving west to seek better opportunities. Natural birthrates decline. Greater healthcare costs dominate public funds. Meanwhile, our education system is under-performing. The upcoming generation [...]
New Brunswick, P.E.I., and Newfoundland & Labrador are raising their HST rates. They join Nova Scotia at 15 percent, the highest level in the country. These hikes mean that Atlantic Canadians will pay more for almost everything they buy. Prices will rise at hotels and restaurants. Motorists will be hit especially hard, as [...]