Local Services and Governments

Stuck in Place: The Effect of Land Transfer Taxes on Housing Transactions

<time datetime="2012-10-11T13:45:47-04:00">October 11, 2012</time>

Toronto’s Land Transfer Tax (LTT) has had a significant impact on home sales and household mobility in the city over the longer term, according to a report released today by the C.D. Howe…

Holding Canada’s Cities to Account: An Assessment of Municipal Fiscal Management

<time datetime="2011-11-23T13:45:57-05:00">November 23, 2011</time>

A new study from the C.D. Howe institute lifts the veil on opaque budgeting and routinely missed spending targets in Canada’s major cities. In “Holding Canada’s Cities to Account: An…

A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Alternative Financing and Delivery of Water and Wastewater Services

Too many drinking water and wastewater systems across Canada threaten public health and the environment, according to a report released today by the C.D. Howe Institute. In A Bridge Over…

Safe Drinking Water Policy for Canada – Turning Hindsight into Foresight

<time datetime="2011-02-28T22:16:24-05:00">February 28, 2011</time>

A decade after the Walkerton and North Battleford drinking water outbreaks, much of Canada lags international leaders in adopting management systems for assuring safe drinking water, according to…

Picking up Savings: The Benefits of Competition in Municipal Waste Services

<time datetime="2010-09-01T00:00:00-04:00">September 1, 2010</time>

Unbalanced Books: How to Improve Toronto's Fiscal Accountability

<time datetime="2010-08-01T00:00:00-04:00">August 1, 2010</time>

Op-Ed

2020 Hindsight – William Robson: Our year of magical thinking - Financial Post Op-Ed

Of all the COVID-inspired clichés of 2020, “we can’t go back to how we were before” gets my vote for most trying. Taken literally, it is empty. We can’t undo the deaths, restore students’ lost…

Op-Ed

How high municipal housing charges and taxes decrease housing supply - Globe and Mail Op-Ed

Home prices have skyrocketed in places such as Vancouver and Toronto in the past decade. These cities have some of the highest charges and most restrictive rules on construction. The evidence from…

Intelligence Memos

Schwanen, Robson – Ontario Needs More Clarity on its Re-opening Process

From: Daniel Schwanen and William B.P. Robson To: Canadians concerned about re-opening the economy Date: May 27, 2020 Re: Ontario needs more clarity on its re-opening process Re-…