Energy Policies

Carbon Taxes: Are the Policies of Ottawa and the Provinces Efficient?

Since the 1920s and the work of A.C. Pigou, economists have generally agreed that imposing a price on pollution emissions is the most efficient way to reduce those emissions while minimizing the drawbacks associated with interventions aiming to limit pollution. This way of doing things usually yields better results than regulation or other government interventions that do not rely on market mechanisms.

The Cumulative Impact of Harmful Policies – The Case of Oil and Gas in Alberta

According to the International Energy Agency, the global demand for hydrocarbons is expected to keep increasing at least until 2040. Yet in Canada, during the past year or so, an unusually large number of major events—essentially all negative—affected the oil and gas industry. The departure of international companies, pipeline project delays, and unprecedented discounts on Western Canadian Select (WCS) are just some of the signs that the country’s oil and gas sector is facing serious challenges.

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