The Misery Index Returns
— Jan 18, 2022
The Misery Index Returns is a new study that finds of the International Monetary Fund's 35 most advanced economies, Canada has the 6th worst Misery Index score due to the country's higher inflation rate coupled with higher unemployment.
Returning to Normalcy: Unemployment and Seasonality in Atlantic Canada
— Dec 9, 2021
Returning to Normalcy: Unemployment and Seasonality in Atlantic Canada is a new study that finds while there have been some improvements in the labour market in the Atlantic provinces, seasonal employment and unemployment remain higher in Atlantic Canada than the national average, and Ottawa's proposed changes to labour policy could set the region back further.
Who Earns the Minimum Wage in Canada?
— Oct 28, 2021
Who Earns the Minimum Wage in Canada? is a new study that finds despite misperceptions, raising the minimum wage would do little to reduce poverty in Canada. That's because 92.3 per cent of minimum-wage earners in Canada don't live in low-income families. In fact, the majority of minimum-wage earners in 2019 (the latest year of available data) were teenagers or young adults aged 15-24, many of whom live with their parents or other family members.
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Read the News Release - Nova Scotia
Are Our Labour Laws Still Relevant for Teleworking?
— Jul 22, 2021
Are Our Labour Laws Still Relevant for Teleworkers? finds that many labour policies and regulations in Canada are outdated and incompatible in a post-COVID world. The study also estimates that 25 per cent of working Canadians will continue to work remotely after COVID—although roughly 40 per cent could do so.
Canada's Aging Population and Income Support Programs
Canada's Aging Population and Income Support Programs is a new study that finds from 2020 to 2030, as a result of the growing number of seniors in Canada, the cost of Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement will increase by almost 70 per cent, from $60.8 billion to over $103 billion.
The Implications of Slowing Growth in Canada's Labour Force
— Apr 22, 2021
The Implications of Slowing Growth in Canada's Labour Force is a new study that finds Canada's shrinking labour force participation rate will likely hinder economic recovery and contribute to rising budget deficits in governments across the country. The percentage of Canadians working or looking for work has continued to drop for decades, predating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Will Cutting Income Tax Rates Create Jobs for Canadians?
Will Cutting Income Taxes Create Jobs for Canadians? is a new study that finds if the federal government reduced the top personal income tax rate from 33 per cent back down to 29 per cent (the rate before the 2016 tax hike), it would facilitate the creation of approximately 110,000 private-sector jobs the following year.
Labour Policy Research Archive
Labour Policy Commentary Archive
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Recent Labour Policy Commentaries and Blog Posts
Policymakers should protect workers and discourage unionization
Appeared in the Toronto Sun, January 5, 2022
Unions raise wages by limiting the supply of labour.
'Workforce' recommendations would hurt Ontario workers
Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, December 22, 2021
Minimum wage legislation reduces employment and non-wage benefits such as skills training.
Minimum wage hike will hurt—not help—vulnerable workers
Appeared in the Toronto Sun, December 15, 2021
Minimum wage increases can lead to employment losses for the least advantaged members of the labour force.
Minimum wage hike won't reduce poverty in Nova Scotia
Ben Eisen, Alex Whalen
Appeared in the Chronicle Herald, November 25, 2021
An estimated 91 per cent of minimum wage earners in the province do not live in low-income households.
Minimum wage hikes won't reduce poverty in Canada
Appeared in the Hub, November 22, 2021
More than half of Canadians earning the minimum wage are between the ages of 15 and 24.
On the minimum wage, Ford once again follows Wynne's lead
The Ontario government plans to increase the minimum wage to $15 in January.
Minimum wage hikes—not a good way to reduce poverty
Tegan Hill
Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, November 10, 2021
Over the past decade, the Alberta government has raised the minimum wage by 46 per cent.
Renewed controversy over the Nobel Prize in economics
Philip Cross
The Nobel apparently endorsed a paper that contradicts the vast majority of research on minimum wages and job losses.
Tipping servers still makes sense
Appeared in the Fredericton Daily Gleaner, October 13, 2021
The restaurant industry has suffered enormously from the pandemic and government restrictions.
Attracting more people key to Atlantic Canada's future
Alex Whalen, Ben Eisen
The recent inflow of people to the region does not mean the problem of outmigration has been solved.
Jason Clemens
Executive Vice President, Fraser Institute
Hugh MacIntyre
Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
Niels Veldhuis
President, Fraser Institute