Advanced economies must focus on improving productivity in order to achieve long-term sustainable economic growth. Increases in traditional inputs – labour and capital – can only go so far before generating diminishing returns. These economies, such as Canada's, must then look beyond...

In this E-Brief, we focus on the well-established link between regulation/policy and productivity, and explore the regulatory and policy changes needed to boost Canada’s overall and financial services productivity. We look at specific regulations and policies that hinder productivity growth...

The importance of services to Canada's economy is often lost in the discussion of how Canada can take advantage of trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In this Commentary, we look to close this gap with respect to the vital financial services sector. In order to determine the...

The long run price elasticity of healthcare spending is critically important to estimating the cost of provision. However, temporary randomized controlled trials may be confounded by transitory effects. This paper shows evidence of a "deadline effect" - a spike in spending in the final year of...

Canada’s municipalities deliver services that are critical to quality of life, and require major commitments of resources in taxes, fees and intergovernmental transfers. But their budgeting practices, and people’s ability to measure their municipality’s performance against its budget...

Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments spent some $724 billion on programs and $58 billion on interest charges in 2017. They provide services ranging from defence through health and education to income supports. They have very wide taxing powers and legally unlimited authority...