The lack of a clear, agreed-upon definition of social licence is a threat.
Oil is driving the Quebec economy.
The lack of a clear, agreed-upon definition of social licence is a threat.
The lack of a clear, agreed-upon definition of social licence is a threat.
March 1st, 2017 | 9 min. 31 sec. | Région zéro 8 (Ici Première Rouyn-Noranda) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
March 1st, 2017 | 7 min. 23 sec. | L’actuel (Ici Première Winnipeg) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
The criterion of social licence is a part of every debate surrounding economic development projects, especially when these include impacts on local communities or on the environment. And yet, this new concept is poorly understood, and mentioned nowhere in the law. Certain controversial projects, like pipelines or uranium mines, illustrate the potential pitfalls of social licence and remind us that the demands of some players frequently go beyond this framework.
CPEs are calling for more generous grants.
The normal retirement age should be reviewed.
February 13, 2017 | 8 min. 39 sec. | Le Tour d'Horizon (92,7FM-Ottawa) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
How to improve access to private funding for small businesses.
Created in 2009, Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) provide a flexible savings option. But TFSA rules forget about small businesses, shows an MEI Viewpoint published today suggesting that the category of qualified investments be expanded. Large corporations are already well-served by various investment vehicles; it is now time to think of small companies as well. Tax-Free Savings Accounts are the perfect tool for this.
How to improve access to private funding for small businesses.
How to improve access to private funding for small businesses.
The BAPE and the the CDPQ's electric train project.
January 19, 2017 | 10 min. 32 sec. | Québec Aujourd'hui (BLVD 102.1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
Quebec cannot afford to raise its sales tax because of tax competition from its neighbours and from online merchants.
At the start of its mandate, the sitting Quebec government envisioned a profound reform of the tax system in Quebec that would stimulate economic growth by minimizing the impact of the tax burden, but without reducing government revenues. The main recommendations of the Godbout Report which resulted from this initiative were never implemented, however, despite a favourable reception on the part of Finance Minister Carlos Leitão.
The potential impact of various proposed energy policies on consumers and taxpayers in Alberta.
How to help low-income workers?
Ottawa gives green-light to two pipeline projects for transporting Alberta oil.
Ottawa gives green-light to two pipeline projects for transporting Alberta oil.
Openness to a new collaboration between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Mondelez plant will close in Montreal by the end of 2017.
Should the SAQ be privatized?
The impact of the carbon tax on taxpayers.
Openness to a new collaboration between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
November 14, 2016 | 7 min. 56 sec. | 100% Normandeau (BLVD 102.1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
November 14, 2016 | 13 min. | Midi Pile (KYK 95,7 FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
The world of start-ups and regulation.
November 4, 2016 | 18 min. 52 sec. | 100% Normandeau (BLVD 102.1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
The SAQ is lowering the prices on several of its products.
Brief analysis of spending and debt control.
October 26, 2016 | 14 min. 14 sec. | Dutrizac (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
Budget cuts versus citizen services.
October 20, 2016 | 38 min. 41 sec. | Isabelle (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
October 20, 2016 | 10 min. 48 sec. | Midi Pile (CKYK-FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
Choosing the right hospital can be a difficult decision for patients and their families. In 2005, in order to provide more transparency and facilitate evidence-based decisions, Germany began requiring that all hospitals publish structured quality reports every two years. These reports are meant to allow patients to compare the level of quality of each hospital. Doctors can also base their referrals on these reports. This kind of transparency leads to the continuous improvement of the quality of medical treatment.
A measure for collecting hospital quality data and making it accessible to Quebec patients.
A measure for collecting hospital quality data and making it accessible to Quebec patients.
Imposing plain packaging on tobacco companies.
October 4, 2016 | 17 min. 01 sec. | 100% Normandeau (BLVD 102.1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
September 29, 2016 | 9 min. 9 sec. | Martineau-Trudeau (CHOI-FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
In Canada, tobacco is one of the most regulated and controlled industries, and smoking, because it is hazardous to one’s health, is one of the most heavily regulated behaviours. It thus provides a good example of how far risky behaviour is being regulated and taxed in Canada. The case of tobacco may also hint at how government might next regulate and tax other industries like alcohol, fast food, and sugary beverages.
The debate over plain packaging in Canada.
The International Day of Peace.
The City of Montreal and the carsharing industry.
More autonomous and accountable schools could help students be more successful academically.
August 26, 2016 | 8 min. 45 sec. | Bonjour la Côte (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
August 25, 2016 | 22 min. 59 sec. | Isabelle (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
August 25, 2016 | 10 min. 22 sec. | Au coeur du monde (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and […]
The most recent school board election results represented a golden opportunity to do away with this superfluous institution in order to allow the emergence of more autonomous schools. In December 2015, the Quebec government introduced a bill that went in this direction. However, the new Education Minister, Sébastien Proulx, decided to drop the structural modifications and focus instead on academic success. Yet abolishing school boards and entrusting schools with more autonomy would in fact promote the success of students.
More autonomous and accountable schools could help students be more successful academically.
August 16, 2016 | 11 min. 18 sec. | Duhaime-Drainville le midi (FM93) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
August 11, 2016 | 9 min. 50 sec. | Puisqu'il faut se lever (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and […]
For decades, Quebec’s economy and the state of its public finances have been judged in comparison with Ontario. Catching up with its neighbour was a worthwhile goal, promoted by many. Over the past few years, the differences between the two most populous provinces have indeed been reduced. However, while the picture has improved somewhat in Quebec, including recent fiscal prudence on the part of the government, this narrowing of the gap does not so much reflect Quebec’s good performance as it does Ontario’s gradual decline.
Ontario is following the Quebec model with increasingly high levels of spending, taxation and indebtedness.
Ontario is following the Quebec model with increasingly high levels of spending, taxation and indebtedness.
The failure of Quebec's Fonds vert in terms of reducing GHG emissions.
Reactions to Quebec facing a budgetary surplus.
For more financial transparency of union organizations.
The production of energy from renewable sources.
The impact of subsidies for the purchase of electric cars.
The Quebec Fonds des générations and the public debt.
The development of hydrocarbon resources on Anticosti Island.
June 9, 2016 | 7 min. 27 sec. | Le café show (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
The public debates over pipelines have focused especially on their safety, on environmental risks, and on economic spinoffs. These are relevant questions, but they are often considered from a local point of view instead of from a pan-Canadian perspective. This Economic Note examines the four pipeline projects currently being studied and focuses on their economic impact for Canada as a whole by contrasting them with the effects of public infrastructure investment.
Comparing the benefits for the Canadian economy of private projects like pipelines versus public infrastructure spending.
Comparing the benefits for the Canadian economy of private projects like pipelines versus public infrastructure spending.
Seven reform ideas to improve health care for all Quebecers.
The effectiveness of plain packaging.
Reducing the income tax and its effects on the economy.
May 20, 2016 | 23 min. 28 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
Quebec’s Health Minister, Gaétan Barrette, recently announced that the government wanted to transform the funding method for medical facilities in the health network by adopting activity-based funding, a model which the MEI has analyzed a number of times in recent years and which is the norm in most industrialized countries. This is a step in the right direction when it comes to reducing waiting times in Quebec hospitals.
Activity-based funding of hospitals could help reduce wait times if accompanied by other, complementary measures.
Some are calling for a minimum wage increase to $ 15 per hour.
Quebec plans to introduce 50 superclinics.
The politics of cap-and-trade.
April 25, 2016 | 18 min. 38 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
The cost of GHG reduction.
The cost of a reduction in our oil consumption.
April 12, 2016 | 10 min. 10 sec. | Québec aujourd'hui (Blvd 102.1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
April 12, 2016 | 4 min. 50 sec. | Barry Morgan Show (CJAD-AM) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
April 12, 2016 | 10 min. 14 sec. | Radio-Canada cet après-midi (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
April 12, 2016 | 13 min. 20 sec. | Martineau (CHOI 98,1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
Quebec’s Health Department is senselessly blocking the opening of clinics run by nurse practitioners who specialize in front-line care. Yet these doctorless clinics would respond to real needs among the population, access to front-line care being one of the main failings of Quebec’s health system. Moreover, a nurse practitioner costs the health care system around 1/3 of what a general practitioner costs, shows an Economic Note published by the MEI.
It is difficult for innovative solutions like nurse-led clinics to establish themselves in a bureaucratic health care system.
Canada's subsidy programs to the oil industry.
In the introduction to its budget plan tabled earlier this week, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced a deficit of $29.4 billion for the 2016-2017 year, or $1,631 per net taxpayer, and total deficits of $113 billion over the next five years. One of the arguments raised in the document in favour of this substantial new debt is that Canada’s current overall debt is much lower than that of the other G7 countries, which gives the federal government the leeway to take on more debt. However, this comparison is based on the net debt, which distorts the situation.
2016-2017 Federal Budget.
In recent years, Canadian provinces have adopted various “green” energy policies that have had a discernable impact on their energy markets. Carbon levies and constraints on using certain energy sources to generate electricity are now commonplace, and their use seems to be spreading. Until recently, Alberta had avoided such policy tools. In addition, much electricity in Alberta is generated, transmitted, and sold by private market actors, and thus political interference in the market has mostly been avoided.
The potential impact of various proposed energy policies on consumers and taxpayers in Alberta.
Quebec wants to "force" the automotive industry to increase the supply of electric cars.
Publication of a Léger opinion poll commissioned by the Montreal Economic Institute.
February 8, 2016 | 11 min. 50 sec. | Québec aujourd'hui (BLVD 102.1) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
February 8, 2016 | 12 min. 33 sec. | Bouchard en parle (FM93) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
In the majority of North American cities, existing laws do not control or make any provisions for activities related to ride-sharing applications. As a result, they operate in a grey zone. Like certain European cities, Vancouver and Montreal have chosen to oppose the operation of such services.
How a less arduous dismissal process for incompetent teachers would benefit the school system.
Comparing the performance of the provincial premiers in terms of government spending, corporate and individual taxes, and deficits and debt.
For several decades, Quebec has been one of the Canadian provinces in which public spending, the tax burden, and the debt level are the highest. One of the Quebec government’s main challenges is therefore to reverse these three trends in order to improve the dynamism of the province’s economy and to allow the population’s standard of living to rise. How does Quebec’s current government compare with the other provincial governments in achieving these goals?
There are no universal and easy answers to dietary problems.
How a less arduous dismissal process for incompetent teachers would benefit the school system.
January 28, 2016 | 17 min. 10 sec. | Faut pas croire tout ce qu'on dit (Radio-Canada) Roundtable discussion (in French) with […]
January 22, 2016 | 25 min. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
A less arduous dismissal process for incompetent teachers would benefit the school system.
January 18, 2016 | 7 min. 37 sec. | Midi actualité (107,7FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
January 18, 2016 | 8 min. 48 sec. | Normandeau-Duhaime (FM93) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
January 18, 2016 | 11 min. 02 sec. | Solide comme le Roch (104,7FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and […]
January 18, 2016 | 5 min. 45 sec. | Dutrizac (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
According to Quebecers, the single most important factor in the success of students is the quality of the teaching staff. However, this profession is plagued by persistent problems: the poor university records of many education undergraduates, the abandonment of the profession by young teachers, discouragement and loss of motivation, etc. These problems can affect the quality of students’ learning, and are quite naturally a concern for parents.
The benefits of ride-sharing applications.
December 11, 2015 | 24 min. 57 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
December 10, 2015 | 10 min. 31 sec. | Dutrizac (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
Calculating retirement benefits for public sector employees.
Are climate changes responsible for thousands of deaths?
The cost of the carbon market.
The major reductions in GHG emissions in the former communist countries.
Relevant economic facts and principles should guide our climate change policy choices.
The most relevant economic facts and principles that should guide our climate change policy choices.
November 13, 2015 | 10 min. 28 sec. | Bonjour la Côte (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
November 12, 2015 | 11 min. 38 sec. | Radio-Canada cet après-midi (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
The Paris Conference that opens on November 30, 2015, is drawing plenty of attention to the fight against climate change, an issue that blends political rhetoric, economic logic and climate science. The aim of this Research Paper is to make key climate change concepts easier to understand as well as to put the mechanisms discussed here in a Canadian context and to base public policy choices on the most relevant facts.
The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The Quebec government will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to subsidize electric vehicles.
The economic situation of the Anticosti Island.
Assessment of the 2015 federal election campaign.
October 5, 2015 | 13 min. 35 sec. | Midi Pile (CKYK 95,7 Radio X) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
September 1st, 2015 | 6 min. 41 sec. | Montréal maintenant (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
August 28, 2015 | 24 min. 16 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
August 28, 2015 | 15 min. | Martineau (Radio X Québec) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
The taxi industry and ride-sharing applications.
Should the State encourage people to have more children?
Safe transportation of oil.
Regulating electricity prices.
The federal tax credit for labor-sponsored funds.
The evolution of the composition of Quebec families.
June 26, 2015 | 26 min. 10 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
The cost of wind energy in Quebec.
The ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations between 12 Pacific Rim nations, including Canada, are raising concerns among defenders of supply management policies for Canada’s dairy, poultry, and egg industries. The federal government is undoubtedly feeling pressure at the negotiating table to modify the system. But rather than making cosmetic alterations to placate our international trading partners, it could instead seize this opportunity to put a definitive end to Canada's anachronistic supply management policies.
Exploiting shale gas versus certain levels of risk.
The shale gas development debate from the point of view of landowners.
The possibility of developing shale gas in the St. Lawrence Lowlands caused quite a stir in Quebec between 2008 and 2012. In this public debate, the projects put forward for developing this resource did not pass the test of social acceptability. The voices of environmentalist groups, well-organized and omnipresent in the media, carried further than those of industry promoters. Between these two poles, there are also those who have natural gas wells on their land.
The costs of supply management in Canada.
"Oil subsidies" around the world, according to the IMF.
The economic costs or benefits of select energy choices for the province of Quebec.
April 23, 2015 | 12 min. 34 sec. | Dutrizac, l'après-midi (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
Quebec is blessed in terms of the energy resources available on its territory. Most obviously, there is the province’s vast hydroelectric capacity, which produces 96% of its electricity. This month, the government made public a series of reports suggesting that it might soon be ready to move forward and allow oil development in the province. In light of this news, it is worth reconsidering some of Quebec’s energy choices to see which kinds of policies might enrich, rather than impoverish, Quebec taxpayers.
The privatization of Hydro One.
April 17, 2015 | 9 min. 13 sec. | Info-réveil (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
April 14, 2015 | 9 min. 45 sec. | Normandeau-Duhaime (FM93) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
April 14, 2015 | 12 min. 35 sec. | Maurais Live (Radio X) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
In order to balance public finances, the Quebec government has increased the tax burden of Quebecers considerably in recent years. Now, the purchasing power of Quebecers is lower than that of Canadians in the other provinces. Quebec’s disposable income per capita ranks 9th, ahead of only Prince Edward Island. According to data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec, it seems the province’s tax burden has become so heavy that it has a negative impact on economic growth and on individual disposable income.
Reaction to the Manifesto for a Global Movement.
The carbon market and the price of gasoline.
The sale of Cirque du Soleil and economic nationalism.
April 1st, 2015 | 20 min. 40 sec. | Midi pile (CKYK-FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
March 12, 2015 | 9 min. 50 sec. | Normandeau-Duhaime (93FM Québec) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
In the context of the current negotiations for the renewal of public sector collective agreements, the figures discussed in the public debate can be misleading. The widely reported percentage increases demanded by unions and offered by the government do not represent the pay raises of public sector employees in Quebec, but rather increases to the pay grades themselves. This distinction is crucial for properly understanding how salaries will change following the current round of negotiations.
March 6, 2015 | 21 min. 35 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
Safe transportation of oil.
The elimination of the deficit and higher taxes.
Difficult negotiations at the CSN.
Submission regarding Bill 28 before the Committee on Public Finance at the National Assembly.
The idea of a "deep-freeze" on public spending.
Call for more regulation in the restaurant industry.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by subsidizing electric cars.
Policies designed to accelerate the transition to green energy sources are usually presented in terms of their benefits, whereas costs are rarely discussed. This Research Paper proposes to fill this gap in the public debate. It examines the costs of proposals made by the Quebec environmentalist groups Équiterre and Vivre en ville for rapidly reducing oil consumption, as well as the willingness of Quebecers and other Canadians to pay those costs.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by subsidizing electric cars.
November 27, 2014 | 9 min. 35 sec. | Écoutez l'Estrie (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
While there were only 100,000 electric cars in the world at the beginning of 2012, the number of units on the road passed the 400,000 mark in early 2014. The subsidies offered by various governments have had a lot to do with this very rapid increase. These are motivated in large part by reduction targets for greenhouse gases (GHGs) and for the consumption of petroleum products. In Canada, the transportation sector emits nearly a quarter (24%) of all GHGs. This is why Ontario and Quebec are proposing incentives to electrify personal transportation.
The energy consumption of Quebec.
The effects of high debt levels in Quebec.
The Rapport Robillard sur la révision des programmes.
November 14, 2014 | 24 min. 45 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
To what extent should tobacco products be taxed?
Oil sands and their environmental impact.
Safe transportation of petroleum products.
The pension plans of municipal employees across the province of Quebec face deficits totalling $3.9 billion. For certain municipalities, pension plan contributions have exploded over the past few years. The Quebec government recently introduced a bill whose purpose is to ensure the sustainability of these plans, but that does not call into question their underlying principles.
The funding deficits of municipal pension plans in Quebec.
The implicit subsidies to wind power.
The concept of free education.
The exploitation of gas and oil wells in Alberta.
Safe transportation of petroleum products.
Spending by politicians and the public choice theory.
The privatization of the SAQ.
August 1st, 2014 | 26 min. 30 sec. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) The week in review (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
Argentina falls into default after talks fail.
The carbon market formed by Quebec and California.
France's 'anti-Amazon' law.
July 10, 2014 | 26 min. | Médium large (Radio-Canada) Debate (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at the […]
July 4, 2014 | 13 min. | Maurais Live (Radio X) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director at […]
The carbon market formed by Quebec and California.
June 17, 2014 | 23 min. 10 sec. | Duhaime le midi (CHOI-FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
The implicit subsidies to wind power, biomass and community power plants.
The 2014-2015 provincial budget.
Tabling of the 2014-2015 provincial budget.
June 6, 2014 | 16 min. 30 sec. | The Tommy Schnurmacher Show (CJAD AM) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
Safe transportation of petroleum products.
June 3, 2014 | 38 min. 45 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (98,5FM) Debate (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research Director […]
Eleven years ago, a government was elected in Quebec by promising to re-examine the functioning of the state and diminish the tax burden of individual Quebecers. However, between the fiscal years 2003-2004 and 2013-2014, the size of the provincial government continued to grow relative to the economy. Indeed, during this period, the Quebec economy grew by 39.6% while public spending increased by 66.9% and revenue by 65.6%. What would have happened if the growth of public spending had been limited to the same rate as economic growth during these ten years?
Canada's subsidy programs to the oil industry.
May 4, 2014 | 15 min. | Duhaime le midi (Radio X Montréal) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist and Research […]
Many activist groups, and even certain political actors, maintain that the Canadian oil industry is heavily subsidized. The Montreal Economic Institute looked into the matter and carried out a rigorous examination of the studies on which this notion is based. In this Economic Note, the MEI concludes that the subsidies in question are far from being as generous as these studies claim, and moreover that the largest of the subsidy programs will disappear between now and January 1st, 2016.
Canada's subsidy programs to the oil industry.
Canada's subsidy programs to the oil industry.
The economic situation in Quebec.
The economic situation in Quebec.
The economic situation in Quebec.
March 27, 2014 | 4 min. 20 sec. | Le 15-18 (SRC-R) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the MEI, […]
March 18, 2014 | 12 min. 35 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the MEI, […]
Proposals to expand Canadian public pension plans.
The Quebec health care system.
Do Canadians save enough for retirement? What is the government's responsibility in the matter? All across Canada, these questions have taken centre stage over the past year. Several major public plan reform proposals are being discussed. They all begin with the same observation, that people are not saving enough for retirement, and they all propose similar solutions based on mandatory saving. This Economic Note asks if the diagnosis is correct, and if the proposed solutions are adequate.
Proposals to expand Canadian public pension plans.
The size of the Quebec government's debt on 2014-2015 Budget Day.
Over the last five years, the MEI has published an annual Viewpoint on Quebec government debt on budget day. Continuing the tradition, this Viewpoint also explores what has been accomplished up to now to reduce the deficit and return ultimately to balanced budgets. What happened to cause this target to be missed? Which commitments were respected, and which ones were not? Was it revenue that failed to rise enough, or was it spending that grew more quickly than expected?
The electrification of transport.
The state of the economy in Quebec.
The state of the economy in Quebec.
The concept of equal rights for all.
The expansion of the Canada Pension Plan and the Quebec Pension Plan.
The impact of staffing services on the flexibility of the labour market.
Many workers, particularly the young and immigrants, have a hard time finding a job, especially a full-time job. At the same time, many companies in various sectors struggle to fill certain positions. This seemingly paradoxical situation stems from the difficulty of achieving a perfect match between job seekers and available jobs. What is called the flexibility of the labour market represents an excellent solution to this problem, for both employees and employers.
The new financing mechanisms in the field of development assistance.
International aid only has a limited impact on the fight against poverty, as opposed to trade and entrepreneurial capitalism. Meanwhile, international bureaucrats are still busy crafting new taxes for development assistance. In 2000, the United Nations Development Programme started talking about Innovative Financing for Development (IFD), a complex set of spending projects and organizations in the field of development assistance that are to be funded mostly by new taxes.
Heating methods in Québec.
September 19, 2013 | 12 min. | Le Retour de Radio X (CHOI-FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the […]
September 10, 2013 | 18 min. 15 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (98,5FM) Conclusion of a debate (in French) between Youri Chassin, economist […]
September 10, 2013 | 21 min. 15 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (98,5FM) Part one of a debate (in French) between Youri Chassin, […]
The Growing Cost of Electricity Production in Quebec.
June 17, 2013 | 7 min. 30 sec. | Au coeur du monde (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at […]
Invoking “obvious economic reasons,” i.e., annual savings of $24 million, the Quebec government cancelled six small hydroelectric power projects this past February. In April, however, it announced new supply contracts for wind power, a sector that is already guaranteed to receive an implicit subsidy of $695 million a year until 2020. For Youri Chassin, economist at the MEI and the author of this Economic Note, we have an urgent need for rational decisions based on our actual energy requirements and not on artificial support of various energy sectors.
The supply management model in agriculture.
Regulations on tourist accommodation establishments.
Minimum wage goes up in Quebec.
Questions about energy are currently in the news on an almost daily basis in the province of Quebec. In addition, the Quebec government intends to adopt a new law on hydrocarbons in the near future, and next year, a new energy policy. In order to be able to discuss these topics seriously, it is useful to have a global picture of Quebec's energy reality. This Economic Note therefore provides a general overview of Quebec's energy consumption and production. It also highlights some of the energy challenges that the province will face in the years to come.
The Quebec system of mining royalties.
The governing party's ideology and the evolution of public spending as a share of GDP.
Fiscal support to labour-backed venture capital funds.
Quebec benefits from unusually low interest rates in financing its debt, making this heavy burden manageable, at least for the time being. But what will happen when borrowing costs rise? Lenka Martinek, chief strategist of Daily Insights at BCA Research estimates that a 2% increase in interest rates would require $1.3 billion in additional spending on debt service in 2018. And this scenario does not take account of a potential recession.
The tax burden in Quebec.
The Quebec Summit on Higher Education.
The concept of a fixed book price.
Will we succeed in stopping the decline of small bookstores by limiting the discounts offered to Quebec readers by big stores? What consequences would such a policy entail? We can glean some answers to these questions from both the history of the book and the economic literature. Examples of fixed book price laws elsewhere in the world also allow us to draw precious lessons in order to avoid repeating the errors of the past.
February 5, 2013 | 16 min. | Que la Mauricie se lève (106,9 FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at […]
Enabling parents to choose the public school that suits them best.
December 11, 2012 | 7 min. 30 sec. | Pas de midi sans info (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, economist […]
Taxing Quebecers retroactively.
The financing of higher education in Quebec.
November 20, 2012 | 6 min. | Montréal maintenant (98,5 fm) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, economist with the MEI, about […]
Exceptionally, the 2013-2014 budget has been tabled in November. Continuing its tradition, the MEI is therefore publishing a Viewpoint on the debt of the Quebec government that also explains what the Generations Fund is and the impact its abolition could have.
Tabling of 2012-2013 budget by the Marois government.
October 31, 2012 | 10 min. 05 sec. | Dutrizac l'après-midi (98,5Fm) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the MEI, […]
Merit pay and the evaluation of teachers.
October 15, 2012 | 9 min. 25 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (98,5 Montréal) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the […]
The debate on the closure of Gentilly.
Do tax increases discourage the wealthy from working hard?
The effects of a tax increase for the rich.
The development of shale gas in Quebec.
The equalization formula and its impact on the development of natural resources.
The federal equalization program will distribute over $15 billion to the relatively "poorer" Canadian provinces in 2012-2013. The formula used to calculate the amounts to be paid out was significantly modified in 2007. In recent months, numerous criticisms have been expressed, which may be a sign of more contentious debates to come until the revision of the equalization formula in 2014.
The student conflict and demands of reds.
May 7, 2012 | 5 min. | Rutherford Show (630am CHED) Interview with Youri Chassin, economist at the Montreal Economic Institute, on […]
The impact of subsidized childcare services.
Every year since 2009, the MEI has published a Viewpoint on the debt of the Quebec government to coincide with the tabling of the provincial budget. Continuing the tradition, this Viewpoint explains why the public sector debt increases by more than the deficit.
The Quebec public sector debt.
March 18, 2012 | 12 min. 30 sec. | Dimanche Magazine (Première chaîne Radio-Canada) Interview with Youri Chassin, economist at the Montreal […]
Students protesting a tuition fee hike.
March 9, 2012 | 2 min. 30 sec. | Maisonneuve en direct (Radio Première Chaîne) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, economist […]
Can the government stimulate the economy with public spending?
January 23, 2012 | 4 min. 55 sec. | Classe économique (Radio-Canada) Report on a new IREC study on the increase of […]
The student movement is fighting a tuition fee increase.
November 3, 2011 | 13 min. 15 sec. | Medium Large (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the Montreal […]
Unionization and collective bargaining in the public sector are relatively recent phenomena, essentially dating back to the second half of the 20th century. In Canada, only 12% of public-sector employees were unionized in 1960, compared to 70% today. In the United States, during the same period, the public-sector unionization rate went from 11% to 36%. In Quebec, the right to collective bargaining was granted to public-sector employees in 1944 (the right to strike came later, in 1964) and to civil servants in 1965. Among U.S. states, it is Wisconsin that was the first to grant collective bargaining rights to certain public-sector employees in 1959. Today, some thirty U.S. states allow collective bargaining with public-sector unions.
Union organizations are private organizations, but their financing relies on an indirect power to tax known as the Rand formula. They also enjoy various tax breaks, like a tax credit for union dues, a tax exemption for strike pay as well as tax credits for contributions to labour-sponsored funds. Despite these quasi-public financing prerogatives, Quebec union organizations generally do not exhibit financial transparency and have very few obligations in this regard.
September 12, 2011 | 7 min. 15 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (98.5FM) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist at the Montreal Economic Institute, […]
August 21, 2011 | 14 min. 15 sec. | Dimanche magazine (Radio-Canada) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist at the Montreal Economic Institute, […]
July 27, 2011 | 14 min. 5 sec. | Le Show du Matin (Radio X) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
The size of the provincial debt.
June 7, 2011 | 5 min. 55 sec. | Le café show (Radio-Canada Edmonton) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist at the Montreal […]
Op-ed published exclusively on the Montreal Economic Institute’s website.
The liberalization of the Canadian postal sector.
May 27, 2011 | 5 min. 30 sec. | Estrie-Express (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the Montreal Economic […]
In recent years, the sometimes strained, sometimes fruitful relationship between Quebec and Alberta has attracted a lot of attention. The issues raised by this relationship will have undeniable impacts on Quebec's future: equalization, the division of powers between Ottawa and the provinces, the energy future, climate change, etc. Despite the importance of these questions, the relationship between Quebec and Alberta has never been the object of extensive study.
April 30, 2013 | 8 min. 30 sec. | Médium Large (SRC-R) Excerpt from an interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist […]
April 27, 2011 | 11 min. | Dutrizac l’après-midi (98,5 FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist at the Montreal Economic […]
After months of unsuccessful negotiations and conciliation talks, Canada Post workers voted by a margin of 94.5% in favour of going on strike at the end of May if they do not reach a negotiated settlement with their employer. The time is right to evaluate the costs that a postal service monopoly imposes on consumers and on the economy as a whole. To determine which reforms might lead to the best postal service at the best price, we should study the experiences of other countries.
Should we worry about the size of the Quebec debt?
March 21, 2011 | 5 min. 50 sec. | Montréal maintenant (98,5 FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist & Research […]
The Quebec government's 2011-2012 Budget states that the public sector debt has risen to 235 billion dollars on March 31, 2011, an increase of 13 billion over last year. Representing 74% of GDP, this debt is even more of a concern in the context of the aging of the population and of current deficits. For each of the past two Quebec budgets, the MEI has published a Viewpoint on the debt of the Quebec government that explained various concepts related to debt and compared the public indebtedness of the provinces.
March 17, 2011 | 7 min. 45 sec. | Dutrizac l’après-midi (98,5FM) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist & Research Coordinator at the […]
March 16, 2011 | 5 min. 45 sec. | Montréal maintenant (98,5 FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist & Research […]
March 14, 2011 | 11 min. | Isabelle le matin (98,5FM) Interview with Youri Chassin, Economist & Research Coordinator at the Montreal […]
January 7, 2011 | 18 min. | Dupont le midi (CHOI-FM) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist & Research Coordinator at the Montreal […]
December 6, 2010 | 19 min. 40 sec. | Le retour (FM93) Interview (in French) with Youri Chassin, Economist & Research Coordinator […]