Annual Report 2017: Letter from the Chair and Executive Director

Climate and Energy Livable Cities Pollution Water

When we first started putting the Ecofiscal Commission together in 2013, our goal was to spark discussion. Economists were already talking about using economic instruments to address environmental issues, but we wanted to add “ecofiscal solutions” to the vocabulary of everyday Canadians and the agendas of governments across the country. Today, more than halfway through […]

Unpacking climate policy jargon

Climate and Energy Pollution

Climate policy can be complicated—especially if you’re talking to economists. Carbon pricing? Complementary policies? Marginal abatement costs? Let’s unpack some of this jargon in the simplest ways possible. What’s the problem? Negative externalities occur when someone’s actions impose costs on others. For example, consuming energy creates pollution, which has costs. Health impacts from air pollution […]

Saskatchewan remains an outlier on carbon pricing

Climate and Energy Pollution

On Monday, the Saskatchewan government unveiled its Made-in-Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy. As expected, it does not feature a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system, but does include a form of carbon pricing. There are many details that remain undefined in the Strategy, but let’s unpack a few key elements. Missing piece Since refusing to sign […]

Canada’s park paradox

Pollution

Canada’s national parks host millions and millions of visitors every year, and entry was free in 2017 as part of Canada 150. As you might expect, people have flocked in record numbers. But national parks belong to the public. Should access always be free? And aren’t more visitors, rather than fewer, a good thing? In […]

Image of forest fire

How can climate policy reduce our vulnerability to forest fires? It’s a complex equation

Climate and Energy Pollution

The B.C. wildfires continue to rage, displacing tens of thousands and bringing the incredible human costs into fresh focus. Forests cover almost 35% of Canada. They are both a tremendous asset and a source of disaster. In the face of climate change, scenes similar to those in Inland B.C. will increase in frequency. How do […]

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