Institute

Remember the Jolly Banker — the Bill Will Come Due

On May 29, 2020 / Finance, Institute, Our Thinking

There is an old American folk song by Woody Guthrie called “Jolly Banker.” In it, Guthrie (a noted union activist) depicts a helpful banker with a constant smile who is there for families in need with loans for furniture, lines of credit, and deferred mortgages. Over the course of

Ontario Unveils First Stage to Reopen Economy

On May 14, 2020 / Economy and Jobs, Federal, Health Care, Institute, Our Commentary, Provincial, Public Safety

The Ford government has announced details of stage one of its provincial Framework to Reopen, starting on May 19th. Ontario has focused on workplaces and services that are well-positioned to adopt workplace safety measures, while avoiding overburdening public transit and other services. Business and services permitted to

Federal Government Expands Support for Large Business

On May 12, 2020 / Economy and Jobs, Energy and Environment, Federal, Federal Highlight, Finance, Institute, Our Commentary, Provincial

Continuing the approach of broad economic measures in response to COVID-19, the federal government has announced new liquidity measures to support large businesses. The measures are meant to provide bridge financing through the crisis, and complement existing support programs for businesses, including wage subsidies. The program is

The Uneasy Days of May

On May 8, 2020 / Economy and Jobs, Education, Energy and Environment, Federal, Federal Highlight, Health Care, Our Thinking, Provincial, Provincial Highlight, Public Safety

As we reach the end of the first week of May, the discomfort and lack of ease over what to do about the future of the COVID-19 situation is starting to show amongst politicians across governments. The effect of COVID-19 on the economy is unprecedented. Highlighted by

How Governors and Premiers Can Work Together to Reopen the Economy

On May 8, 2020 / Finance, Institute, Provincial, Provincial Highlight

In Canada, pundits sometimes use a clever observation to denote the difference in cultures between Americans and Canadians: the expiration notice on Canadian produced food says, ‘best before’ while American made food says, ‘consume by.’ The difference is supposed to illustrate a separation in positive versus negative

Ontario and Alberta Take Steps to Re-Open Economies

On May 1, 2020 / Communications, Economy and Jobs, Health Care, Our Commentary, Provincial, Provincial Highlight, Public Safety

In the last 24 hours, both Ontario and Alberta have announced measures to start re-opening sections of their economies, taking their own approaches for opening based on provincial rates of COVID-19. While both provinces appear to have entered the levelling off phase for new cases and both

Ontario’s Newest Tax Credits Need to be Re-evaluated Amid COVID-19

On May 1, 2020 / Economy and Jobs, Finance, Institute, Our Thinking, Provincial, Provincial Highlight, Public Affairs

By Mitchell Davidson It seems the whole of the Ontario populace is fixated on the question of when things can return to normal. Many, including the premier, have rightly observed that Ontarians will have to adjust to a new normal as the reopening of the economy promises

COVID-19: Canada’s Road to Economic Recovery

On April 30, 2020 / Economy and Jobs, Federal, Federal Highlight, Finance, Health Care, Institute, Our Thinking

As the calendar turns to May, some jurisdictions across Canada are starting to slowly loosen public health restrictions to re-open their economies, while others are establishing plans to do so. When COVID-19 set in, federal and provincial governments were required to work together to slow and contain

How, Not When: Ontario’s Framework to Re-Open the Economy

On April 27, 2020 / Economy and Jobs, Finance, Health Care, Institute, Our Commentary, Provincial, Provincial Highlight, Public Safety

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, along with economic ministers Rod Phillips and Vic Fedeli, and Health Minister Christine Elliott presented a three-stage process to guide the way forward in re-opening Ontario’s economy from the COVID-19 shutdown: Stage 1: “Protect and Support”: open select workplaces and allow some small

Rent Relief and Long-Term Care Challenges Mark End-of-Week COVID-19 Update

On April 24, 2020 / Communications, Education, Federal, Federal Highlight, Finance, Health Care, Provincial, Provincial Highlight, Public Safety

As some provincial governments like New Brunswick and Saskatchewan are turning their attention to plans for re-opening their economies, the federal government continues to address the ongoing acute challenges that COVID-19 poses to the economy and the health care system. Rent Relief for Small Businesses The federal