Environment

Evaluating the State of Fresh Water in Canada

— Nov 27, 2018

Evaluating the State of Fresh Water in Canada finds that the quantity and quality of freshwater across the country is generally very good, with four out of five (82 per cent) of the country’s freshwater monitoring sites reporting fair to excellent quality between 2014 and 2016. Notably, Canada has the world’s third-largest renewable supply of freshwater and Canadians only consume a small fraction (about one per cent) of the freshwater available annually.

Federal Reforms and the Empty Shell of Environmental Assessment

— May 31, 2018

Federal Reforms and the Empty Shell of Environmental Assessment finds that environmental assessments for resource development projects, such as oil and gas pipelines, have always been arbitrary and political, and the federal government’s proposed reforms—contained in Bill C-69—do nothing to change that. If anything, the changes may increase uncertainty in the project approval process.

Environmental Ranking for Canada and the OECD

— Apr 19, 2018

Environmental Ranking for Canada and the OECD finds that Canada is a world leader in environmental performance and ranks in the top ten among the world’s wealthiest, cleanest and most developed countries on a wide range of environmental indicators.

Canada’s Climate Action Plans: Are They Cost-effective?

— Nov 16, 2017

Canada’s Climate Action Plans: Are they cost-effective? finds that current provincial plans will cost Canadians billions and likely produce very little environmental benefits, based on a detailed review of provincial climate action plans and results from countries and other jurisdictions around the world that have pursued similar policies.

Poor Implementation Undermines Carbon Tax Efficiency in Canada

— May 4, 2017

Poor Implementation Undermines Carbon Tax Efficiency in Canada finds that the theoretical benefits of carbon taxes and cap-and-trade schemes—that they can lower emissions and improve the economy at the same time—are negated by poor implementation such as layering these schemes on top of, instead of replacing existing regulations.

Canada's Air Quality Since 1970: An Environmental Success Story

— Apr 20, 2017

Canada's Air Quality Since 1970: An Environmental Success Story finds that levels of four major air pollutants—ground-level ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide—have all fallen substantially since the 1970s despite significant population and economic growth and increased energy usage over the same time.

Did the Coal Phase-out Reduce Ontario Air Pollution?

— Jan 17, 2017

Did the Coal Phase-out Reduce Ontario Air Pollution finds that the coal phase-out produced only a small reduction in fine particulates, a common measure of air pollution, and in Toronto and Hamilton, the reduction was statistically insignificant. In fact, had the province completed its modernization of the coal-fired plants, instead of shutting them down, fine particulate reductions of the same size could have been achieved at a much lower cost.

Recent Environment Commentaries and Blog Posts

Mayors hope to shake down energy companies

Ross McKitrick

Appeared in the Vancouver Province, January 16, 2019

There's no basis for claiming that energy companies secretly concealed knowledge of climate risks.

Here, Alberta, have another hurdle

Kenneth P. Green

Appeared in the Calgary Sun, January 16, 2019

Environmentalists have delayed projects so they become non-economic and are terminated.

Electric cars may not be as clean as they seem

Elmira Aliakbari, Ashley Stedman

Lithium-ion batteries are manufactured in some of the world’s worst-polluting countries.

Freshwater quality in Western Canada

Elmira Aliakbari, Ashley Stedman

Of the four provinces, B.C. is the only one with poor water quality status.

Carbon taxes—there are other ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Kenneth P. Green

Appeared in the Calgary Sun, December 12, 2018

Governments could facilitate the use of natural gas to replace diesel fuel and gasoline.

Economic freedom—it’s good for what ails you

Kenneth P. Green

Life expectancy is 79.5 years in the top quartile of countries compared to 64.4 years in the bottom quartile.

Water quality in Central and Atlantic Canada

Elmira Aliakbari, Ashley Stedman

Excellent means water quality is protected, with an absence of any threat or impairment.

Canadians enjoy high quality water, although poor quality more common in some rivers

Ross McKitrick, Elmira Aliakbari, Ashley Stedman

Appeared in the Whitecourt Press, December 4, 2018

Canada has the third-largest supply of annual renewable freshwater in the world.

Despite claims to the contrary, B.C. bill does not include First Nation veto over resource development

Tom Flanagan

Appeared in the Globe and Mail, December 3, 2018

Bill leaves the vast majority of First Nations under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court’s consultation jurisprudence.

Increased crude-by-rail in Alberta comes with increased risks

Elmira Aliakbari, Ashley Stedman

The oil price differential is largely due to Canada’s lack of transportation capacity and restricted market access.

Research Experts

Elmira Aliakbari

Associate Director, Natural Resource Studies, Fraser Institute
Pierre Desrochers

Associate Professor of Geography, University of Toronto
Glenn Fox

Professor of Agricultural Economics and Business, University of Guelph
Kenneth P. Green

Resident Scholar and Chair in Energy and Environmental Studies, Fraser Institute
Ross McKitrick

Professor of Economics, University of Guelph
Cornelis "Kees" van Kooten

Professor of Economics, University of Victoria
Joel Wood

Associate Professor of Economics, Thompson Rivers University

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Environment

Evaluating the State of Fresh Water in Canada

Federal Reforms and the Empty Shell of Environmental Assessment

Environmental Ranking for Canada and the OECD

Canada’s Climate Action Plans: Are They Cost-effective?

Poor Implementation Undermines Carbon Tax Efficiency in Canada

Canada's Air Quality Since 1970: An Environmental Success Story

Did the Coal Phase-out Reduce Ontario Air Pollution?

Research Experts