Canadian charities need a new regulatory system. Currently, charities are regulated primarily at the federal level by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). But because charities, by virtue of the donation tax credit, can reduce the tax base, the CRA’s regulating them conflicts with its mandate to...

Recently, a storm of activity has swirled around rules governing the tax treatment of Canada-US crossborder investment. The high degree of integration of the Canadian and US economies means that the economic effects of such tax changes can be significant. This paper reviews and evaluates a...

As a 2011 deadline approaches for reform or renewal of the Bank of Canada's inflation-targeting program, questions arise about how the Bank's responsibilities for ensuring the financial system's stability are exercised under such a regime. The current financial crisis underlines the urgency of...

Canadian governments are undercutting progress in reducing corporate income and capital taxes with counter-productive policies that impose unequal tax burdens across assets and industries. The study highlights priorities for improving the tax system by reducing taxes on capital investment and...

Ontario should scrap its antiquated retail sales tax, and opt for a made-in-Ontario valued-added tax (VAT) that would improve fairness, encourage investment and wage growth, and reduce administrative costs for government and for business.

The Toronto Land Transfer Tax, implemented nearly a year ago, has had significant negative effects on the housing market, reducing sales and lowering average house prices.

With its Byzantine complexity and jurisdictional overlap, Canadian pension regulation makes it difficult for many workers to save enough for retirement. Access to retirement saving room is inequitably distributed between public and private sector workers. This paper offers some practical...

This study proposes that the Government of Canada issue a new debt security, the “Trill,” which would essentially offer Canadian investors an equity stake in the Canadian economy. The Trill is so-named because its coupon payment would be one-trillionth of Canada’s GDP. Similar to shares...

Recently, a storm of activity has swirled around rules governing the tax treatment of Canada–US crossborder investment. The high degree of integration of the Canadian and US economies means that the effects of such tax changes can be significant. In a number of areas, however, undue...

The move from regulation to competition in different parts of the economy is one of the great success stories of the past 30 years. And more competition in the electricity sector could offer lower consumer prices and improved stability of supply. So why has market deregulation in electricity...