Max Bell School of Public Policy - Chris Ragan's latest news and research

Chris Ragan on Canada's productivity challenge | Calgary Productivity Summit 2024

��SM�� — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 16:20:14 +0000

Nov. 13, 2024 | Chris Ragan was on a panel at the 2024 Calgary Productivity Summit entitled "Canada's Productivity Challenge: Why It Matters". The two-day event included perspectives from notable and respected leaders, economists, professors, and business leaders.

Chris shared three points in his remarks on the panel, including "it all starts with per capita GDP" and "Canadians should work better, not harder."

Chris Ragan on Carbon Taxes | BNN Bloomberg

��SM�� — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 18:00:20 +0000

October 18, 2024 | A price on carbon is widely accepted by economists as an efficient way to measure the harm done by carbon and to encourage behavioural change, but is it the best route given that it comes with a real cost to consumers and the economy? Chris Ragan spoke about the carbon pricing in his conversation with Amanda Lang on BNN Bloomberg.

Chris Ragan on Carbon Tax

��SM�� — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 20:14:57 +0000

The Federal Government of Canada has increased the federal carbon tax from $65 a tonne to $80 as of April 1, 2024. Christopher Ragan joins several news outlets below sharing his expertise.

Opinion: Carbon pricing has become our national dumpster fire | The Globe and Mail

Carbon tax hike kicks in across Canada | CHCH

Economist weighs in on premiers' calls to pause carbon tax hike | CBC News

��SM�� — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:30:11 +0000

March 14, 2024 | A growing number of premiers are urging the federal government to pause the carbon tax hike that's set to take place on April 1, or to ditch it altogether. Chris Ragan, the director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy at ��SM��, joined Power & Politics to discuss the impact this could have on Canada's climate plan. "We're playing a long-run game," Ragan said. "It's very easy to say this is not a good time for a carbon tax ...

Is a price on carbon the right tool to address climate change? | iHeartRadio

��SM�� — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 18:11:50 +0000

March 13, 2024 | Is carbon pricing the most effective tool to address climate change issues? The news recording talked about the opposition to the climate tax rebate in recent years and the government's efforts to rebrand the tax and communicate its effectiveness to the public. Chris Ragan was interviewed and stated that any policy will be costly to implement, but the rebate in carbon pricing gives the purchasing power back to the public. "You do not have to use the carbon price.

Liberals table bill to ban replacement workers in federally regulated workplaces | CBC News

��SM�� — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 21:54:45 +0000

November 9, 2023 | The federal government has announced carbon-tax exemptions for household heating and Chris Ragan joined Power & Politics to talk about these exemptions. Chris Ragan has stated that carbon-tax exemptions might not be the way to energy affordability, usually because exemptions are often extended and there is no end to these exemptions due to political pressures.

Chris Ragan on carbon pricing policy changes | IHeart Radio

��SM�� — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 19:38:14 +0000

Chris Ragan joins Vassy Kapelos to weigh in on the Trudeau government's recent carbon tax carve-outs and shares on the current situation.

" It will lead to further exemptions... that is probably inevitable." says Chris Ragan.

Listen to the podcast.

Carbon-Pricing Exemptions Are the Wrong Way to Keep Energy Affordable | National Newswatch

��SM�� — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:19:18 +0000

October 17, 2023 | The federal government is under pressure to carve out exemptions to its carbon pricing system, particularly for rural home-heating fuel in Atlantic Canada. Keeping essentials like energy affordable is a serious concern, but carbon-pricing exemptions are the wrong solution.

With inflation cooling, politicians turn up the heat to address Canada’s affordability crisis | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 16:16:55 +0000

September 16, 2023 | On September 6 the Bank of Canada decided to hold interest rates steady after two years of high inflation and 18 months of rising interest rates. The premiers of Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador each wrote to the Bank of Canada urging it not to raise interest rates, following the critics from Justin Trudeau's caucus stating that the government has lost focus on affordability issues, especially regarding housing.

Economics lessons will pay life-long dividends to understand how any marketplace works | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:55:32 +0000

September 14, 2023 | In an opinion piece by David Parkinson he talks about the influx of students that are going to have their first serious exposure to economics in a university setting. He has interviewed Chris Ragan to discuss the value of learning more about economics. A key point from the conversation was that there is a fundamental misunderstanding surrounding economics where it's perceived to be all about money. Whereas it's more about scarcity and the decisions made to allocate limited resources.

Amidst a swirling tide of new ideas, Canada's economic institutions remain bastions of orthodoxy | the Hub

��SM�� — Tue, 23 May 2023 18:41:40 +0000

May 23, 2023 | New and often radical ideas have emerged about how much governments can spend and how trade should be conducted following COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Chris Ragan says most people at the Bank hold conventional views on how trade should be conducted, despite public discourse about concepts like Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). He has mentioned that he doubts that anyone in Finance or the Bank of Canada is taking MMT seriously

Budget watchdog troubled by spin around latest report on carbon pricing | CTV News

��SM�� — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:15:40 +0000

April 8, 2023 | Yves Giroux opened a political firestorm last week with a new report that concluded carbon price rebates are worth more than the direct cost of the carbon price for 80 per cent of families. The Conservatives, who have campaigned heavily on removing carbon pricing, claimed that the Liberals lied about the "sneaky carbon tax" when they said the rebate were more than the cost.

Long-Range Challenges in Canada's Economy | The News Forum

��SM�� — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 18:49:52 +0000

February 13, 2023 | Director Christopher Ragan spoke to Tony Clement on his show Boom and Bust to highlight the challenges Canada is facing as the budget season is approaching. He touched upon the aging population and how the increasing rates of retirement presents some fiscal challenges including an increase for the budget for healthcare.

Watch the interview.

63% low income Canadians worried about impact of inflation on food, housing | Global News

��SM�� — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:52:42 +0000

February 9, 2022 | A recent report by Statistics Canada has found that more than 63% of Canadians belonging to a low-income household are worried about the impacts of inflation on food, housing and other expenses. Director Chris Ragan mentioned that the increase in prices hurt low-income households more. However according to Ragan, this is not solely due to inflation.

Chris Ragan: Canada must upgrade its electricity grid | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:27:03 +0000

January 27, 2023 | Director Chris Ragan wrote that Canada must embark on a historic build-out of its power systems to ensure continued prosperity as the demand for clean energy accelerates in Canada. In his opinion piece he answered the question: Can we overcome our unique challenges to upgrade its electricity grid to match the surging demand?

Focus shifts to labour market in inflation fight | Investment Executive

��SM�� — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:16:54 +0000

January 10, 2023 | Professor Christopher Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy spoke at the Global Risk Institute webinar and said it's "very unlikely" that the Bank of Canada has gone too far already and overtightened. He pointed to inflation expectations from businesses for the next two years remaining above the central bank's target range.

It’s strange, we have long-term focus in some policy areas but not others | Financial Post

��SM�� — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 19:20:41 +0000

January 4 2023 | Professor Christopher Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy shares his thoughts on the state the of the Canadian economy and the health care crisis as it stands at the end of 2022.

Curing Canada’s energy paralysis may mean new climate targets, renewed political will | Global News

��SM�� — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 16:00:29 +0000

September 22, 2022 | Director Chris Ragan spoke to Global News about the future of energy sources in Canada and answering the question: Could Canada really be an energy superpower and be a global leader on climate change?

Chris Ragan on Rebuilding the Canadian economy in the post-Covid era | Government Analytics' The Monthly Podcast

��SM�� — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:17:03 +0000

September 12, 2022 | On Government Analytics' The Monthly podcast with host Peter Kent, director Chris Ragan spoke about rebuilding the Canadian economy in the post-Covid era. At the recent Jackson Hole economic policy symposium, Jerome Powell, the head of the US central bank, spent 8-minutes making it abundantly clear he’s going to get inflation under control.

Chris Ragan on Bank of Canada expected to raise interest rates | Toronto Star

��SM�� — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 23:53:14 +0000

September 2, 2022 | In response to the possibility of the Bank of Canada raising interest rates next week, Director Christopher Ragan said the central bank is best-suited to take on the responsibility of maintaining low interest rates.

“There’s very, very good reasons why we have operationally independent central bank trying to target inflation rather than governments, because governments in the past have done a very poor job at that,” he said.

Why politics and central banking shouldn't mix | The Line

��SM�� — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:01:32 +0000

May 13, 2022 | In a recent debate, Conservative Party leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre pledged that—if he were to become prime minister—he would fire the governor of the Bank of Canada. Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan thinks such a promise is irresponsible and dangerous.

Read the article.

How a break at the pumps is a reverse carbon tax — and could make climate change worse | CBC

��SM�� — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 19:26:47 +0000

April 7, 2022 | As Canadians wait to hear Ottawa's spending plans in today's budget, there are conflicting views worldwide over whether countries should be producing more oil and gas to help Europe — or saving the world from climate change and leaving fossil fuels in the ground. Director Chris Ragan comments in this article from CBC News that believes governments have to be risk-takers by helping to stimulate investment in new climate friendly technology.

Read the article in full here.

War: The enemy of air, land, and sea | The ��SM�� Tribune

��SM�� — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:11:42 +0000

April 5, 2022 | In this ��SM�� Tribune article, Max Bell School director Chris Ragan comments on the relationship between war and climate change and expresses his belief that Putin's incursion into Ukraine will cause the West to seriously rethink its reliance on Russian oil and gas.

Read the article.

Why the no-fly zone won’t fly | The Hill Times

��SM�� — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 20:16:33 +0000

March 1, 2022 | For The Hill Times' Politics This Morning daily summary, director Chris Ragan explains the nuances of Canada and other G7 countries' plan on imports and barring foreign currency exchanges with Russia's central bank.

Chris Ragan on Canadian Inflation, Supply Chains, Pent-up Demand, and Hot Real Estate | Culture at a Crossroads

��SM�� — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 16:36:42 +0000

February 11, 2022 | The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust Canada's economy into an extraordinarily unusual state. To break down the issues, Max Bell School director Chris Ragan spoke to David Mann for an episode of the At a Crossroads podcast. Hear Ragan's perspective on inflation, pent-up demand, supply chain disruptions, the housing market, and more.

Ottawa deserves better | Politico

��SM�� — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 15:41:30 +0000

February 17, 2022 | In this edition of Politico's Ottawa Playbook, Max Bell School director Chris Ragan comments on Canada's recent history of low levels of inflation.

Read the article.

Economist Chris Ragan on the problems with Modern Monetary Theory | The Hub

��SM�� — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 17:35:43 +0000

January 20, 2022 | Economist and Director Chris Ragan joins this episode of Hub Dialogues to discuss the proper role of central banks, the problems with Modern Monetary Theory, and the need to rethink fiscal priorities in recovering from the devastation of the pandemic.

Listen to the conversation or read the transcript here.

Canada's cost of living increased 4.8% in December, the fastest rate since 1991 | CBC News

��SM�� — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 17:10:59 +0000

January 19, 2022 | Director Chris Ragan discusses supply chain disruptions and Canada's inflation rate rising to a 30-year high on CBC News. "There's a lot of pent-up demand," Chris notes, referring to businesses and restaurants being closed over the pandemic, and many consumers not having any place to spend their income.

Watch the clip here. Chris's segment begins at 32:42.

23 charts to watch on inflation and the economy in 2022 | Maclean's

��SM�� — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 18:17:12 +0000

December 21, 2021 | In Maclean's "Chart Week 2022" predictions roundup, Chris Ragan answers the question: "When will Canadian inflation return to target?"

Read the article.

Burning Questions: Is Ottawa finally about to get serious about housing bubbles? | Regina Leader-Post

��SM�� — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 17:03:22 +0000

December 24, 2021 | After Director Christopher Ragan published an essay in the Hub that perhaps Freeland and Macklem actually disagree about how the central bank should conduct policy rather than they united front they presented to the public, The Regina Leader Post included his commentary in an article about the Bank of Canada's new five-year mandate.

Inflation 101, with Christopher Ragan | The Hill Times

��SM�� — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 15:10:44 +0000

December 15, 2021 | Director Christopher Ragan joins The Hill Times' The Hot Room podcast to explain how inflation works, whether the Trudeau government is to blame for rising prices, and the Bank of Canada's new-look plan to manage it.

Listen to the episode.

‘Leave it alone’: Chris Ragan comments on the Bank of Canada mandate debate | The Hub

��SM�� — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 19:32:14 +0000

November 12, 2021 | Following a dialogue between The Hub and Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan, this article outlines the history of the Bank of Canada's agreement with the federal government leading up to the mandate's expiration in January 2022.

Read the article.

Do Deficits Matter Anymore? | The Agenda

��SM�� — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 20:04:36 +0000

November 4, 2021 | Governments worldwide have run huge deficits to deal with COVID-19. Should we be about this ballooning debt, or do deficits not matter anymore? Max Bell School director Chris Ragan weighs in.

Watch the panel.

A low-carbon world is coming Alberta | Maclean's

��SM�� — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 14:27:42 +0000

October 21, 2021 | In this op-ed for Maclean's Max Bell School director Chris Ragan, Dale Beugin and Gord Lambert explain why ahead of COP26, Alberta needs to prepare for the inevitability of a low-carbon world.

Read the article.

Federal government pressed to extend COVID-19 benefits for small businesses |

��SM�� — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 16:25:53 +0000

October 5, 2021 | With vaccination rates relatively high across the country, Canada has moved past the worst stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, the crisis is by no means over, and many businesses haven't fully recovered. What, then, should the federal government do about the small business support programs it launched at the onset of the pandemic? Max Bell School director Chris Ragan recently shared his perspective.

Read the article.

Battling climate change in Canada: Experts examine the major parties' climate plans | The Current

��SM�� — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 20:22:25 +0000

August 23, 2021 | When voters went to the polls in the recent federal election, climate change was front of mind for many. For the first time, all major parties had credible plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But how did the plans stack up to each other? Max Bell School director Chris Ragan weighs in on this episode of The Current.

Listen to the interview.

Climate change and the election: Compare party platforms | CBC News

��SM�� — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 16:01:21 +0000

September 12, 2021 | The 44th federal election campaign is over, and the Liberals have clung to their plurality of seats in the House of Commons, setting them up to form another minority government. Read about what they have promised to do to fight climate change during their new mandate.

Read the article.

Economists say NDP plan to hike tax on heavy emitters would cost Canadian jobs | Toronto Star

��SM�� — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 17:54:08 +0000

August 31, 2021 | The NDP has pledged to close loopholes in Canada's carbon pricing regime that provide a discount to industrial polluters. Some economists, including Max Bell School director Chris Ragan, believe that such a policy change would cost Canada jobs and lead to no reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

Election campaign and inflation set up ‘perfect storm’ for usually sleepy review of BoC monetary policy | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 12:46:41 +0000

August 20, 2021 | The Bank of Canada's mandate renewal—usually a mundane and technical affair—is generating interest in the political sphere as Canadas 44th federal election gets underway. In this Globe and Mail article, Max Bell School director Chris Ragan argues for careful consideration of all the mandate options on the table: from targeting GDP level, to adopting a dual mandate, to maintaining the status quo.

Climate change puts health at risk and economists have the right prescription | The Conversation

��SM�� — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 18:34:47 +0000

June 24, 2021 | "We’re paying for climate change with our health." Co-written by Courtney Howard of the University of Calgary and Max Bell School director Chris Ragan, this article explains how the disruptive events caused by climate change are posing a climbing risk to our health and healthcare systems. From wildfires and severe storms to heat waves and poor-quality air, learn more about the environmental factors threatening our physical well-being.

Chris Ragan on the Conservative's Climate Plan | CBC Power & Politics

��SM�� — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 18:01:16 +0000

15 April, 2021 | In this panel conversation, Max Bell School director Chris Ragan shares his thoughts on the Conservative's newly revealed climate plan in a conversation with the Globe and Mail's Kelly Cryderman and political commentator Shakir Chambers.

Watch the panel. The panel discussion starts at 1:20:41.

‘Are we going to be able to pull this off?’: How the Bank of Canada doused a financial fire last spring | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:01:07 +0000

March 27, 2021 | In this Globe and Mail article, Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan weighs in on the Bank of Canada's role in pandemic economic recovery, discussing monetary policy topics including quantitative easing and inflation risks.

Read the article.

The 'safe bets' and 'wild cards' needed to meet Canada's net zero emissions target | Maclean's

��SM�� — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 18:28:51 +0000

February 17, 2021 | Max Bell School Director Christopher Ragan and Carleton University economist Dave Sawyer penned this op-ed that takes a critical look at the widespread economic and industry reforms needed to achieve Canada's goal of "net zero" greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Read the article

What Should Canada Do Next? | Hot Talk Podcast

��SM�� — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:18:22 +0000

December 23, 2020 | In this episode of the Hot Talk podcast, Max Bell School director Chris Ragan comments on the federal government's newly announced plan to raise the price of carbon and implement other climate policies.

Listen to the podcast.

The Liberals need to have faith that their carbon tax will do its job | The Line

��SM�� — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:37:42 +0000

In this article for The Line newsletter, Max Bell School Professor Ken Boessenkool and Director Chris Ragan argue that the government should have more confidence in the newly increased carbon tax to do its job and resist the temptation to throw in all sorts of other popular, but expensive, policies as well.

Read the article.

Why the Bank of Canada needs a revised mandate | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:47:32 +0000

Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan and Professor Stephen Gordon of Université Laval penned this opinion piece to highlight the importance of monetary policy and the upcoming revision of the Bank of Canada's mandate. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect many spheres of public policy, the Bank of Canada will need to carefully consider all policy objective alternatives.

Click here to read the article and learn more.

Canada’s COVID-19 recovery plan | The Current

��SM�� — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 17:07:20 +0000

By how much will the pandemic cause federal spending to rise? How much revenue are we expecting to lose? And how will the Canadian government manage their debt and avoid a financial emergency? As the COVID-19 crisis continues to spread uncertainty across Canada and the around the world, economists and policymakers must ask themselves these questions and devise ways to manage the post-pandemic financial landscape.

Three rules for post-pandemic corporate rescues | Financial Post

��SM�� — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 15:24:18 +0000

June 3, 2020 | Given the early-warning signal from bank earnings last week, we should be expecting a wave of business failures in the months ahead, and demands for taxpayer assistance will soon follow. Now is the time for governments to commit to clear principles to guide their response. In this Financial Post article, Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan and Dr. Paul Boothe explain how we can use lessons from the financial crisis of 2008-09.

Canada needs a new prescription for the pandemic recession | Maclean's

��SM�� — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 16:12:00 +0000

June 2, 2020 | The spread of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in a severe — and unique — recession, which continues to ravage many corners of the Canadian economy. What makes the current "pandemic" recession so different from a "normal" recession, and how should government policy reflect this reality? In this Maclean's article, Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan and Dr. Paul Boothe break down the role of governments and the shortcomings of conventional stimulus in this pandemic context.

Engineering a ‘green recovery’ is a terrible idea | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:22:24 +0000

June 1, 2020 | In the coming weeks, the federal government is expected to begin crafting a stimulus package to lift Canada out of the economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on which cabinet ministers have been assigned to the project, it seems clear the Liberals want to incorporate their climate goals into the package, addressing climate change and economic recovery at the same time. Is a stimulus package the best way to deal with a pandemic recession? And is mounting a “green recovery” the most efficient strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

Opinion: Support Canadians now, but not at the expense of our future | The National Post

��SM�� — Mon, 25 May 2020 15:35:09 +0000

May 21, 2020 | In light of the pandemic, governments have moved quickly to support hard-hit workers and businesses. This provision of economic “relief” is different from conventional “stimulus” common during normal recessions. Whereas stimulus policies are all about getting people back to work and businesses back to normal levels of operation, the current relief policies are about replacing people’s incomes while they are safely isolating at home. Replacing a big fraction of the lost income is proving to be very expensive for Canada, and the bill is being added to our public debt.

Chris Ragan on Climate Change and Carbon Pricing | Culture at Crossroads

��SM�� — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 19:54:02 +0000

April 16, 2020 | With climate change being one of the most contentious issues in the 2019 federal election, it has become evident that Canadians are concerned with reducing the national carbon footprint. Despite this, policy responses to this issue have not been united. In this podcast, Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan elaborates on the nuances of environmental policy, and how it serves both the economy and the climate.

Christopher Ragan on climate change and how public policy can help reduce carbon emissions | ��SM�� Reporter

��SM�� — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:11:43 +0000

March 9, 2020 | Christopher Ragan, the director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy and former chair of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, sat down with the ��SM�� Reporter to discuss the ways in which policy can impact climate change. In this interview, Ragan comments on resistance to decarbonization, current government initiatives, and the divestment movement.

Read the article.

Will Endless Economic Growth End Us? | The Agenda

��SM�� — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 17:39:16 +0000

February 24, 2020 | What are the consequences of endless economic expansion? To discuss the potential risks, Steven Paikin spoke to Chris Ragan, director of ��SM��'s Max Bell School of Public Policy; Celine Bak, president of Analytica Advisors; Atif Kubursi, professor Emeritus of Economics at McMaster University; Peter Victor, author of "Managing Without Growth: Slower by Design, not Disaster;" and Sarah Kaplan, director at U of T's Institute for Gender and the Economy at Rotman School of Management.

Informing the debate | ��SM�� News

��SM�� — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 19:46:08 +0000

With the final report of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission out and its clear support for carbon pricing – most notably, a 40-cent tax hike on a litre of gas over the next decade – making headlines, Christopher Ragan, commission chairman, can’t help thinking about how the now concluded six-year project got its start. Like most origin stories, it began at a low point – at least for Ragan.

Meeting Canada's Greenhouse Gas Targets | TVO

��SM�� — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 19:31:30 +0000

January 27, 2020 | ��SM�� economist Chris Ragan, Chair of Canada's Ecofiscal Commission, and Director of the Max Bell School, explains the think tank's final report exploring Canada's options for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

Chris Ragan on carbon pricing | Power and Politics

��SM�� — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 21:00:40 +0000

November 27, 2019 | Max Bell School Director Chris Ragan discusses the Ecofiscal Commission's final report on how Canada can meet its 2030 emissions goals with a carbon pricing policy.

Watch the video here.

Here’s why you should like the federal carbon tax | The Star

��SM�� — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 20:33:17 +0000

November 27, 2019 | In this opinion piece, it is argued how an escalating carbon price over the years accompanied by rebates, as shown by Chris Ragan, is the most transparent and the least costly for the economy and taxpayers.

Read the full article here.

Hiking carbon tax to $210 cheapest way to hit climate targets: commission | CTV News

��SM�� — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 20:08:29 +0000

November 27, 2019 | Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School says quadrupling Canada's carbon price by 2030 is the easiest and most cost-effective way for the country to meet its climate targets.

Read the full article here.

Why Carbon Pricing Remains the Smartest Policy Tool | Policy Options

��SM�� — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 18:35:11 +0000

November 27, 2019 | Director of the Max Bell School Chris Ragan on why the time is right for a serious conversation about how best to bridge the gap between Canada’s current emissions and our 2030 target.

Read the full article here.

Canada needs carbon tax of $210 a tonne by 2030 to meet Paris targets, report says | National Post

��SM�� — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 20:40:47 +0000

November 27, 2019 | The Ecofiscal Commission says Canada will either have to raise carbon prices to $210 per tonne or adopt more expensive policies funded by higher income taxes to meet its 2030 targets.

Read the full article here.

Canada should quadruple carbon tax to meet 2030 targets, commission says | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 20:32:32 +0000

November 27, 2019 | The Ecofiscal Commission's latest report says that if Canada were to meet its 2030 targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions through carbon pricing, it must more than quadruple its carbon tax and rebate the revenues to consumers.

Read the full article here.

Canada’s wisest policy: stealing policies from other countries | The Globe and Mail

��SM�� — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:46:38 +0000

August 12, 2019 | In this piece, Christopher Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, argues that economists know the more we lean on carbon pricing, the better off our economy will be. He draws on the experience of Sweden's carbon tax and the U.S efforts to reduce acid rain by taxing sulfur-dioxide producing plants. Instead of opting for intrusive and complex policies to fight climate change, Ragan argues that Canada should create economic incentives that give households and businesses the freedom to respond to the market how they see fit.

Climate change puts health at risk and economists have the right prescription | The Conversation

��SM�� — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 21:19:01 +0000

June 24, 2019 | Climate change affects many aspects of people's lives. As it is a common source of worry to doctors and economists alike, the proposed solutions to climate change are numerous. Chris Ragan, director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy and Courtney Howard, clinical associate professor at the Cumming School of Medicine (University of Calgary) argue that carbon pricing is the right solution. This piece connects the dots between health outcomes and worsening climate crisis, while exposing its societal financial costs.

Why doctors argue ‘carbon pricing’ can ‘cure’ climate change | Global News

��SM�� — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 19:40:04 +0000

June 30, 2019 | For doctors across Canada, the evidence at the bedside is increasingly hard to ignore: climate change poses a serious health risk. Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, adds that "Economics has a very clear prescription for these challenges: carbon pricing. In the same way that penicillin treats an infection, carbon pricing can help fight climate change."

Read the commentary here

A cross-country "energy corridor" for Canada? | CTV News

��SM�� — Fri, 24 May 2019 14:45:03 +0000

May 24, 2019 | Conservative leader Andrew Scheer revived the idea of a coast-to-coast energy corridor, a policy that has picked up interest in recent years. Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, comments on this policy. He warns that, given the difficulty of securing approval for energy infrastructure in Canada, "the country will want to find ways to get through tough approval processes to run more east-west energy grids".

Read the full article here

Debunking carbon tax myths | Financial Post

��SM�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 15:44:41 +0000

April 5, 2019 | With the federal carbon tax coming in to the four provinces in Canada, how will it affect small businesses? Is the carbon tax constitutional? Chris Ragan, economist and director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy debunks certain myths surrounding the federal carbon tax on Financial Post.

Watch the interview

Introduction of the Federal Carbon Tax | CBC Power & Politics

��SM�� — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:27:57 +0000

April 1, 2019 | Chris Ragan, Director of Max Bell School of Public Policy, joined CBC News Power and Politics, to discuss the federal carbon tax. "Carbon pricing is the lowest-cost method that we can use to combat climate change" argues Chris Ragan.

Watch the interview

There’s probably more consensus on output-based pricing than you think | Canada's Eco-fiscal Commission

��SM�� — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 15:04:44 +0000

March 29, 2019 | "Meeting Canada’s climate targets in a way that is best for our economic prosperity requires broad policy that creates consistent incentives across all emissions in the economy, from individual households and small businesses to heavy industry. Output-based pricing must be a key part of that mix if Canada is to strike the right balance between pricing emissions and protecting competitiveness," says Chris Ragan, chair of Canada's Ecofiscal Commission and director of Max Bell School of Public Policy.

How Trudeau is faring economically ahead of pre-election budget | BNN Bloomberg

��SM�� — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 16:31:35 +0000

March 18, 2019 | Prior to Canada’s next election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers his fourth and final budget. After surveying over a dozen economists to take stock of the government’s record on economic policy, Bloomberg has highlighted some key aspects in the policy. The question is “to what extent is Canada a place where you can come in and do reasonably risky big natural resource related projects,” said Chris Ragan, director of ��SM��’s Max Bell School of Public Policy. “The answer is increasingly ‘don’t come here.’”

Debt is a vast, sucking field of muck, and we're all flailing to get out | CBC Opinion

��SM�� — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 16:24:20 +0000

March 19, 2019 | Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School, shares his thoughts with Neil Macdonald, a columnist at CBC Opinion, regarding government debt and the upcoming "fiscal squeeze" as the Canadian population ages. "The Trudeau government's spending has been scattershot and political, rather than strategic; reversing Stepen Harper's decision to raise the retirement age was foolish" says Chris Ragan.

Read the article here

Federal carbon tax comes into effect | CTV Power Play

��SM�� — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 16:05:14 +0000

April 1, 2019 | Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, Christopher Ragan, sat down with Don Martin on Power Play to speak about the Federal Carbon Tax.

"We respond to price changes, but we don't necessarily respond overnight," said Chris Ragan about the carbon tax. "This is a policy and a problem that we need solve over several decades, and this is just the beginning."

Interview starts around 08:40 minute mark.

Better Environmental and Economic Outcomes | The Future Economy

��SM�� — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 13:50:28 +0000

In this interview, Christopher Ragan, Director of Max Bell School of Public Policy and Chair of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, helps to identify policy options to improve environmental and economic performance in Canada.

Losing Ground on Carbon Pricing | TVO

��SM�� — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 23:51:53 +0000

Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy Chris Ragan sat down with TVO'S The Agenda with Steve Palkin to discuss carbon pricing.

"In 2014 the Ecofiscal Commission was created to advocate for putting a price on carbon. It comprised people from across the political spectrum, including former Reform Party founder and leader, Preston Manning. A consensus seemed to be emerging. But, these days it has become a heated debate across Canada. The Agenda welcomes economist Chris Ragan, chair of the commission, to discuss the battle over the carbon tax."

The Politics of Carbon Pricing | Breakfast Television Montreal

��SM�� — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 15:33:47 +0000

Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy, Chris Ragan, sat down with Breakfast Television Montreal to discuss carbon pricing.

"The federal carbon tax plan is causing friction across parties and provinces, and will be a key issue this election year," Professor Ragan explains.

Watch the interview

Max Bell School of Public Policy - Chris Ragan's latest news and research

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