Creative destruction: Why the Chinese ban on imported recyclables could be good for Canada, eventually

Livable Cities

The Chinese government’s crackdown on imported recyclables is creating a mess for waste exporting countries like Canada. Historically, China has bought two-thirds of North America’s recyclables. With the change, much of that waste no longer has a market. This is pushing some municipalities to landfill or burn recyclables or pay higher prices to find new […]

biofuel subsidies

Should we take a closer look at biofuels subsidies?

Climate and Energy

The fall harvest is upon us. Crisp air, pumpkin spice lattes, and flannel shirts are in full swing. But as the final crops are harvested before the winter frost, it’s an ideal time to reflect on an industry that consumes a significant portion of Canada’s corn, wheat, and soybeans—conventional biofuels. Conventional biofuel production—which includes ethanol […]

écofiscalité - villes durables

Building Sustainable Cities in Quebec: Ecofiscal opportunities for municipalities in the 21st century

Livable Cities Technology and Innovation Water

On Tuesday, January 27th, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission held an event at the Faculty Club in Montreal with SWITCH: L’Alliance pour une économie verte au Québec. Below is Chris Ragan’s speech. Merci beaucoup Monsieur Simard. Bonjour à tous, et bienvenue a l’université McGill—ma maison intellectuelle. I’m so looking forward to today’s panel discussion. The issue is […]

waste - pricing pollution - polluter pay

Tossing it out of sight, out of mind

Livable Cities

The following is the waste excerpt from The Policy Opportunity of Our Generation: Ecofiscal Reform in Canada’s Provinces and Cities, published in Public Sector Digest, February 2015, and made available online January 15th. This is the final of a four-part blog series that highlights how ecofiscal policies can help cities and provinces conserve water, fight […]

Provinces and cities need new fiscal tools to align economic and environmental ambitions

Climate and Energy Livable Cities

The following is an excerpt from The Policy Opportunity of Our Generation: Ecofiscal Reform in Canada’s Provinces and Cities, published in Public Sector Digest, February 2015, and made available online January 15th. This is the first of a four-part blog series that highlights how ecofiscal policies can help cities and provinces conserve water, fight traffic […]

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