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Media Releases

How can the NIMBY syndrome be avoided?

Montreal, March 31, 2008 – The most promising strategy for sustainable management of the syndrome known as NIMBY (short for Not In My Back Yard) consists of creating competitive compensation mechanisms that respect the citizens concerned and give them real responsibility.

Tolls would bring in up to $1.6 billion for highway infrastructure

Montreal, March 3, 2008 – Electronic tolls on all of Quebec’s main highways would bring in up to $1.6 billion per year. An Economic Note published by the Montreal Economic Institute examines four scenarios for instituting charges of this type. Economist Mathieu Laberge, the study’s author, explains that “a return to tolls would be helpful in guaranteeing stable financing for maintenance and rebuilding of the highway network as well as minimizing traffic jams and slowing growth of the government debt.”

Foreign aid has not achieved its goals

Montreal, February 13, 2008 – Canada’s aid programs need to be radically changed to respond effectively to new global conditions in an era of failed or failing states in the poorest parts of the world. Unfortunately, overseas development assistance is dying under the weight of its own red tape. This is the essence of the message to be delivered today by John Watson, president of the humanitarian organization CARE Canada from 1987 to 2007, in a speech presented by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) in collaboration with the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.

Is there a market in romantic relationships?

Montreal, February 12, 2008 – For Valentine’s Day, the Montreal Economic Institute is presenting an original analysis of the market strategies and mechanisms that operate on online dating sites. In a special Economic Note, economist Mathieu Laberge explains that “dating sites are ‘markets in romantic relationships’ in the sense that they involve both supply and demand.” The behaviour of men and women who are looking for partners can be explained in part by strategies that economics can help make understandable.” The economic analysis here relies on data provided by the popular Quebec dating site RéseauContact.

11 ideas for creating wealth in Quebec

Montreal, January 12, 2008 – The Montreal Economic Institute is presenting Quebecers with 11 ideas for bringing in new wealth-creating solutions and resolving ongoing problems. These proposals can be applied over the next one to five years and are being discussed in the pages of Le Journal de Montréal starting Saturday, January 12. The full texts will be put on the Institute’s website and on Canoë.

According to an investigation by the Montreal Economic Institute: Operating rooms are used at less than 50% of capacity

Montreal, December 14, 2007 – An investigation conducted by the Montreal Economic Institute involving 23 hospitals shows that open operating rooms were in use only 46% of the time during day shifts on weekdays in 2005-2006. Use of operating rooms was even lower on evening shifts, at just 9%, and on weekends, at between 6% and 8%. Part of Quebec’s most modern and most substantial infrastructure is thus being used at far below capacity.

Use the market to solve energy, environmental, and aboriginal poverty issues, say Manning and Harris

Montreal, November 27, 2007 – Canada should be looking to market-based public policies to deal with a broad array of concerns ranging from environmental issues to energy pricing to aboriginal poverty, Preston Manning and Mike Harris say in a new policy paper released today by independent research organizations The Fraser Institute and the Montreal Economic Institute.

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