Author

Krystle Wittevrongel

Krystle holds a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Science from the University of Calgary, where she earned multiple academic scholarships for her exceptional graduate work, in addition to completing two undergraduate degrees. Known for her strong analytical skills and deep commitment to sound public policy, Krystle became an Associate Researcher with the MEI in 2019 and officially joined the MEI team from February 2021 to August 2025.

Prior to this, she worked at the School of Public Policy in Calgary, where she specialized in health policy research and published articles in several specialized academic journals. Throughout her career, Krystle has established herself as a dedicated policy professional, leveraging her expertise to influence meaningful policy development and analysis.

September 4, 2025

8-minute read

More Choice, Better Results: Building on Charter School Success in Alberta

Alberta could see better student outcomes and higher parental satisfaction by making the charter school option more accessible, finds this MEI report. “Alberta is the only Canadian province to allow charter schools, which form an integral part of its pluralistic, market-driven education system,” says Emmanuelle B. Faubert, economist at the MEI and co-author of the report.

July 21, 2025

4-minute read

Canada deserves a project approval process that’s swift by default

While Bill C-5 sends a positive signal, it does not resolve the core problem: Canada still lacks a stable, transparent, and efficient project approval process.

July 18, 2025

MEI – Canada’s project approval process should be swift by default – Krystle Wittevrongel

July 18, 2025 | 9 min. 51 sec. | Jerry Agar (Newstalk 1010) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the […]

July 18, 2025

5-minute read

Canada Deserves a Project Approval Process That Is Swift by Default

Federal impact assessments should be fair, transparent, and swift for all projects, not just the few favoured by Ottawa under Bill C-5, states the MEI in this publication. “Bill C-5 is a clear admission that the current project approval process is broken,” says Krystle Wittevrongel, director of research at the MEI and author of the report.

June 18, 2025

MEI – What Is Activity Based Funding? – Krystle Wittevrongel

Part 1 of an interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, on the benefits of paying hospitals per service delivered, whereby patients are viewed as a source of revenue, not merely as a cost. Published on June 18, 2025 on The News Forum’s Counterpoint show.

June 18, 2025

MEI – Should The Government Embrace Healthcare Reform? – Krystle Wittevrongel

Part 2 of an interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, on the benefits of paying hospitals per service delivered, whereby patients are viewed as a source of revenue, not merely as a cost. Published on June 18, 2025 on The News Forum’s Counterpoint show.

June 10, 2025

MEI – Pipelines from East to West – Krystle Wittevrongel

On the floor of the Global Energy Show Canada 2025, interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, published on the Western Standard.

June 3, 2025

11-minute read

Canadians are waiting too long in the emergency room

The median patient visiting a Quebec emergency room last year spent 10 minutes longer there than they would have the previous year, according to this MEI report. “These long wait times are not just numbers — they represent real Canadians who face delays in receiving critical care that cause needless pain or distress,” said Emmanuelle B. Faubert, economist at the MEI and author of the report.

June 2, 2025

MEI – Removing barriers to trade between Alberta and the rest of Canada – Krystle Wittevrongel

June 2, 2025 | 8 min. 53 sec. | Shaye Ganam (CHED AM) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, […]

May 29, 2025

12-minute read

Bilateral Breakthroughs in Canada: The Promise of Reciprocal Mutual Recognition in Interprovincial Trade

If Quebec were to adopt a mutual recognition act with the rest of the country, similar to Nova Scotia’s, Canada’s economy would stand to grow significantly, according to this Economic Note published by the MEI. “The growing momentum to eliminate internal barriers to trade in Canada is promising,” says the publication’s author, Trevor Tombe, professor of economics at the University of Calgary and senior fellow at the MEI.

May 24, 2025

4-minute read

Alberta’s health funding reform offers hope for the rest of Canada

Alberta’s shift to activity-based hospital funding could be the blueprint other provinces need to fix Canada’s ailing health-care system.

May 18, 2025

MEI – Decluttering Regulations in Canada – Krystle Wittevrongel

Interview with Krystal Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, about unclogging the gears of regulation that have bogged down trade in Canada. Broadcast on May 16, 2025 on Conversations That Matter.

May 9, 2025

MEI – Cutting the red tape – Krystle Wittevrongel

The rise of red tape is a huge concern for Canadian business. It feels like an easy fix for a government hoping to help the economy. Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, broadcast on May 9, 2025 on BNN Bloomberg’s Taking Stock.

May 1, 2025

5-minute read

How to Cut the Regulatory Burden in Canada

The federal government’s growing regulatory burden on businesses is holding Canada back and must be urgently reviewed, argues this publication from the MEI. “Regulation creep is a real thing, and Ottawa has been fuelling it for decades,” says Krystle Wittevrongel, director of research at the MEI and coauthor of the Viewpoint.

April 25, 2025

MEI – How the Impact Assessment Act will impact Canada’s energy sector – Krystle Wittevrongel

Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, broadcast on the Cory Morgan Show – Second Take on April 25, 2025.

April 22, 2025

4-minute read

Finally, a money incentive for Alberta hospitals to pick up the pace on surgery

As long as appropriate guardrails are in place, patients are better off in hospitals where financial considerations serve as an incentive to treat more of them, rather than a limitation.

April 12, 2025

4-minute read

Canada’s Impact Assessment Act is a bureaucratic chokehold

While it is not solely responsible for our stagnation, the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) remains an emblematic example of Ottawa’s tendency to overregulate at the expense of Canadians’ living standards.

April 9, 2025

MEI – Alberta is changing the way it funds acute health care services – Krystle Wittevrongel

April 9, 2025 | 8 min. 20 sec. | Calgary Eyeopener (CBC Radio) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, […]

April 1, 2025

MEI – Should Canada remove interprovincial trade barriers? – Krystle Wittevrongel

Part one of an interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, on the renewed interest in reducing interprovincial trade barriers. Broadcast on April 1, 2025, on Boom and Bust with Tony Clement.

April 1, 2025

MEI – Which infrastructure improvements will help Canada thrive? – Krystle Wittevrongel

Part two of an interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, on the renewed interest in reducing interprovincial trade barriers. Broadcast on April 1, 2025, on Boom and Bust with Tony Clement.

February 27, 2025

4-minute read

If you’re qualified in one province, you should be good anywhere

Few Canadians are aware that it’s often easier for Canadian businesses to sell their goods in a neighbouring country, than in a neighbouring province. A new Nova Scotia law could change all that – if adopted across the country.

February 20, 2025

8-minute read

Boosting Long-Term Care to Improve Hospital Access in Alberta

Allowing independent health providers to open up new continuing care facilities or contribute to home care services could reduce the number of hospital beds occupied by patients who need alternate levels of care in Alberta, according to this MEI report.

January 18, 2025

4-minute read

Investors are turning away from Canadian energy

This is a wake-up call for policymakers: Simplify and streamline the impact assessment process or investors will continue to leave for greener pastures.

January 16, 2025

7-minute read

Oil and Gas Development, Investment, and Regulation: Canada’s Impact Assessment Act

While global investment in oil and gas projects has grown by over a quarter since the 2015 glut, in Canada it has shrunk by nearly a quarter, according to this MEI study.
“Policies that are hostile to large projects are the reason why we’re missing out on tens of billions of dollars of potential investment in our economy,” said Krystle Wittevrongel, director of research at the MEI and co-author of the publication.

December 12, 2024

4-minute read

In Canada, ‘the doctor will NOT see you now’ — and it’s a problem

Fixing Canadian health care means acknowledging that a universal system can include private as well as public providers.

November 7, 2024

5-minute read

Accès refusé aux soins de première ligne, et si on s’inspirait de l’Allemagne et des Pays-Bas?

Alors que les temps d’attente augmentent et que les problèmes d’accès persistent partout au Canada, nous ne pouvons pas nous permettre de maintenir l’ordre établi.

November 4, 2024

MEI – Nearly one million unnecessary ER visits highlight Canada’s primary care crisis – Krystle Wittevrongel

November 4, 2024 | 10 min. 09 sec. | The Elias Makos Show (CJAD 800) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research […]

October 31, 2024

9-minute read

International Health Perspectives: Comparing Primary Care in Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands

Taking inspiration from German and Dutch health systems could help improve access to primary care providers such as family doctors, according to this MEI publication. “The lack of access to primary care providers such as family doctors is being felt in other parts of our health system, which are forced to deal with more numerous and more acute cases,” explains Krystle Wittevrongel, co-author of the publication.

October 4, 2024

MEI – Two in three Canadians say banning conventional vehicles by 2035 is “unrealistic” – Krystle Wittevrongel

October 4, 2024 | 6 min. 45 sec. | Midday (CHED AM) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, […]

September 20, 2024

MEI – Canada’s Health Care in Crisis – Krystle Wittevrongel

Canada’s vaunted health care system is in crisis. According to the “ourCare” national survey, more than 6.5 million people – that’s one in five Canadian adults – do not have access to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner that they can see for regular care. Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at the MEI, published on Conversations That Matter on September 20, 2024.

July 17, 2024

MEI – Telemedicine works… the government needs to keep their hands off it – Krystle Wittevrongel

July 17, 2024 | 7 min. 24 sec. | Montreal Now with Aaron Rand(CJAD-AM) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research at […]

July 12, 2024

4-minute read

Friends shouldn’t let friends buy natural gas from bad places

The federal government’s forthcoming emissions cap on the oil and gas sector will not only kill jobs and hurt the Canadian economy; it will do so for little to no environmental gain.

May 16, 2024

4-minute read

A simple solution to Alberta’s ailing healthcare system

Moving to an activity-based funding model would improve efficiency and reduce wait times in the Alberta healthcare system.

May 13, 2024

MEI – Pharmacist-led clinics improve access to health care – Krystle Wittevrongel

May 13, 2024 | 9 min. 30 sec. | CHED Afternoons (630 CHED) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Senior Policy Analyst and Alberta […]

May 9, 2024

5-minute read

Pharmacist-Led Clinics Improve Access to Primary Care: Alberta Paves the Way

Emulating Alberta’s pharmacist-led clinic model could enhance access to primary care and help avoid unnecessary emergency room visits, according to this study from the Montreal Economic Institute.

April 25, 2024

9-minute read

Activity-Based Hospital Funding in Alberta: Insights from Quebec and Australia

Adopting activity-based funding for hospitals in Alberta could shorten wait times and improve productivity, according to this MEI study. “Our current hospital funding model incentivizes treating the fewest patients possible, as each new patient represents an additional cost,” explains Krystle Wittevrongel, Senior Public Policy Analyst and Alberta Project Lead at the MEI.

March 30, 2024

4-minute read

Let officers focus on policing

After maintaining radio silence on the topic for much of the past year, the Alberta government has now taken a first concrete step toward reforming policing in the province.

March 6, 2024

3-minute read

Alberta’s opting out of federal pharmacare just might save your coverage

Your drug coverage would have been at risk, if not for Premier Danielle Smith’s decision to opt out of an ill-conceived federal government-run pharmacare plan.

February 3, 2024

4-minute read

Pharmacists can lend a hand to our ailing health-care system

Increasing the use of pharmacists will take some pressure off of primary care physicians, benefiting Albertans who can’t get an appointment with their family doctor — or who don’t have one.

January 3, 2024

MEI – Energy corridors could eliminate repetitive environmental assessments – Krystle Wittevrongel

January 3, 2024 | 9 min. 13 sec. | CHED Afternoons (630 AM) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Senior Policy Analyst and Alberta […]

December 27, 2023

4-minute read

The high cost of interprovincial trade restrictions in Canada

Interprovincial trade in Canada is hampered by a number of policies designed to restrict competition for a few well-connected sectors of our provincial economies. This comes at the expense of all Canadian consumers.

December 26, 2023

4-minute read

Energy corridors could eliminate repetitive assessment stress syndrome

Canada’s energy is secure, reliable and produced responsibly and could be a great benefit to those of our allies who don’t have their own energy and are instead forced to rely on dubious or unfriendly sources.

December 14, 2023

9-minute read

Streamlining Energy Infrastructure Development: The Corridor Approach

Energy corridors could go a long way towards restoring Canada’s attractiveness for energy transportation projects, according to this study by the MEI. “Getting regulatory approval for energy transportation projects in Canada takes so long that investors are increasingly looking elsewhere,” explains Krystle Wittevrongel, co-author of the study.

November 30, 2023

9-minute read

Internal Trade Provincial Leadership Index – 2023 Edition

Quebec is the Canadian jurisdiction that is most closed off to interprovincial trade, according to the most recent edition of the Montreal Economic Institute’s Internal Trade Provincial Leadership Index.

November 22, 2023

4-minute read

Short on family doctors? Nurse practitioners can help

As part of their training, nurse practitioners learn how to assess, diagnose, and treat multiple conditions, order diagnostic tests, prescribe certain medications, and make referrals to specialists.

November 20, 2023

4-minute read

Incentives matter in health care

The government needs to take inspiration from the Manning Report and recognize incentives matter in health care.

November 18, 2023

4-minute read

On health care, local decisions lead to better outcomes

By creating a number of smaller regional units, as opposed to a large conglomerated administrative structure, ideas for small changes are more easily applied and can potentially generate interest and awareness higher up the ladder.

August 26, 2023

4-minute read

Natural resource development is economic reconciliation

While reconciliation has been a prominent theme in the federal government’s policy agenda for years, the promise of economic reconciliation has only recently entered the discourse.

August 17, 2023

9-minute read

Impeding Natural Resource Development Undermines Economic Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

Economic reconciliation with Canada’s First Nations goes hand in hand with natural resource development, but such development is too often blocked by the federal government, according to this study published by the MEI.

June 26, 2023

MEI – Are Government Regulations Hurting Our Ability to Fight Climate Change? – Krystle Wittevrongel

Colin Craig welcomes Krystle Wittevrongel, Senior Policy Analyst and Alberta Project Lead at the Montreal Economic Institute, and Madison Savilov from Carbon Upcycling, to discuss a fascinating new industry called ‘Carbon Tech.’

June 8, 2023

2-minute read

Regulating Canada’s Energy Industry Out of Existence Won’t Do Anything for Climate Change

More layers of red tape piled onto Canada’s energy industry are not likely to reduce emissions.

May 24, 2023

4-minute read

5G investments reduce carbon emissions—The government just needs to get out of the way

In the telecommunications sector, fixed and mobile broadband networks have facilitated positive environmental changes and helped reduce emissions, but the public discourse tends to be centered on the cost of services.

May 19, 2023

4-minute read

“Failing to Deliver” Report Actually Fails to See the Bigger Health System Picture

Comparing today’s system, which is still reeling from COVID-19 and its additional strain and added complexity, to what prevailed just before the pandemic is simply disingenuous and misleading.

May 18, 2023

8-minute read

Broadband Use and Energy Efficiency: Facilitating Emissions Reductions

The private sector’s contribution to the reduction of GHG emissions is too often overlooked. In this publication by the MEI, Senior Policy Analyst Krystle Wittevrongel shines a light on the emission reductions generated by the telecommunications industry.

February 16, 2023

4-minute read

Canadian emission targets miss the forest for the trees

If Canada were to be carbon neutral tomorrow, it would take China only 21 days to ensure our current annual emissions were put back into the atmosphere.

February 16, 2023

5-minute read

Canada’s 2030 GHG Emission Targets: Globally Insignificant, Likely Counterproductive

Canada should focus more on global impact than on local reduction efforts in its attempts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions, according to this new study by the Montreal Economic Institute.

February 13, 2023

2-minute read

The never-ending softwood lumber dispute heats up

The sort of protectionist policies being promoted with slogans such as “Buy American” are designed to give a leg up to certain local producers… at the expense of local consumers, and other producers as well.

February 2, 2023

2-minute read

Canadians Clamour for Home Care, Ottawa Offers Institutions

There tends to be a bit of a disconnect between what the people want, and what the government delivers. Just look at long-term care.

January 30, 2023

5-minute read

Medicine shouldn’t just be cheap; it should be accessible

The new guidelines the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board will use to determine whether the price of a new medication is acceptable or too high are so unclear that both pharmaceutical companies and patients’ rights groups are united in their criticism of them.

December 28, 2022

2-minute read

With what batteries?

The federal government recently announced its intention to force car manufacturers to boost sales of electric vehicles to at least 20 per cent of their Canadian business starting in 2023.

December 11, 2022

4-minute read

Let’s not kill small business in the name of ESG

Small businesses in Canada have had a rough few years. If regulators tack on extra costs from ESG (environmental, social, and governance) reporting criteria, it may be the final nail in the coffin for many.

December 9, 2022

4-minute read

Small business should not suffer from new federal climate standards

Ottawa has been the latest to jump on the ESG bandwagon, committing in its latest budget to mandatory reporting of climate-related financial risk across a wide range of Canadian industries.

December 8, 2022

5-minute read

ESG Disclosure: Mandatory Inclusion of Scope 3 Emissions Will Hurt Small Businesses

Plans to mandate scope three emissions reporting would be detrimental to small businesses, finds this new report published by the Montreal Economic Institute.

November 7, 2022

4-minute read

Aging at home is not an impossible dream

Given the choice, people prefer to live out their days in their homes, among their loved ones. We have the means to respect those preferences.

November 7, 2022

10-minute read

Aging at Home: Cash-for-Care Models Reduce Institutionalization

Provincial governments in Canada should implement cash-for-care systems to encourage home care, while respecting taxpayers’ ability to pay, according to this publication from the MEI.

September 28, 2022

4-minute read

Police need to be police, not paper-pushers

It’s time to redraw the balance between core and non-core policing activities—and, in doing so, make our communities safer while preserving public resources.

September 26, 2022

12-minute read

Enhancing Public Safety While Saving Public Dollars with Auxiliary Private Security Agents

The demands on police in non-criminal areas have grown as governments have saddled officers with increasing responsibilities divorced from their core mission. With pressure coming from all sides, including recent calls to “defund the police,” this new MEI paper proposes to outsource non-core tasks to auxiliary private security agents in order to make the best use of scarce police time and public resources.

September 21, 2022

2-minute read

Health care issues cannot be solved by funding alone

On average, health spending corresponds to 37% of provinces’ 2022 budgets, and is increasing rapidly according to a Deloitte report commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association and released today.

August 29, 2022

2-minute read

Levelling the Playing Field on CCUS Technologies

It’s no great revelation that governments across the world are competing to attract investments, especially in sectors such as green technology.

August 22, 2022

2-minute read

Supply management and economics 101

Supply management is an artificial control of the dairy supply through quotas and controlling imports “as a means of setting stable prices for both farmers and consumers.”

August 19, 2022

2-minute read

The government of Ontario takes steps to reduce surgical waitlists

Yesterday morning Ontario announced a plan to provide additional stability to their health care system which is under severe strain, a situation that has been dubbed a crisis.

August 13, 2022

4-minute read

Hospital woes continue to mount – nothing new here

While hospital closures and staffing crises are alarming, they are not new, and they are not entirely COVID-related.

August 11, 2022

2-minute read

The electric car race hampered by… bureaucracy?

With all major car makers now on board with electric vehicle production, demand for lithium has sent prices rocketing 750% since 2021.

August 8, 2022

2-minute read

Universal dental care likely to be wrought with the same problems as health care

If universal dental coverage for low-income children under 12 isn’t implemented by the end of the year, the NDP-Liberal Supply and Confidence Agreement is dead in the water according to the leader of the NDP.

July 19, 2022

4-minute read

Albertans’ double burden: inflation plus bracket creep

It’s imperative that the government of Alberta follow through on its promise to re-index the tax system to inflation.

June 29, 2022

4-minute read

Tear down these walls, premiers!

As Canadians grapple with supply chain issues, inflationary pressures, and post-COVID or endemic-COVID recovery, we need to get serious about freeing up interprovincial trade once and for all.

June 15, 2022

4-minute read

To improve Quebec’s outdated health records systems, the data must follow the patient

Quebec desperately needs to implement a modern and robust digital health ecosystem. Doing so will both maximize patient health today and encourage innovation for even better care tomorrow.

June 9, 2022

5-minute read

Les données doivent suivre le patient

Le Québec a désespérément besoin de mettre en place un écosystème de santé numérique moderne et robuste. Cela favorisera la santé des patients d’aujourd’hui et encouragera l’innovation pour offrir de meilleurs soins demain.

June 9, 2022

13-minute read

Improving Access to Health Data in Quebec

It is hard to believe that in 2022, health data is still being communicated between institutions and departments via fax in Quebec. According to this MEI publication, Quebec’s current system does not allow for an efficient flow of information that would benefit patients, and existing electronic health records lack vital information physicians need to make a proper treatment plan.

May 31, 2022

4-minute read

Quebec’s ailing health-care system

To ensure Quebec’s health-care system functions properly and is accessible to all, the province’s government needs to consider how best to increase the number of physicians in the province, and fast.

May 26, 2022

13-minute read

A Prescription for Quebec’s Doctor Shortage

The shortcomings of health care systems across Canada have been thrown into stark relief by the pandemic, with surgery backlogs making headlines again of late. A lack of physicians and the absence of competition between private and public providers is undermining access to care. This publication proposes several ways of improving access to health care, including expanding the role of independent providers and increasing the number of doctors in Quebec. For this to happen, however, the College of Physicians and the government will have to end their intimate connection that is harming Quebecers.

May 24, 2022

4-minute read

It’s time for Canada’s protectionist barriers to fall

Moving to a free market for currently supply-managed goods would reduce Canadian grocery bills, offer more choices to consumers, and improve trade relations.

May 16, 2022

2-minute read

Feeding Babies Should Be the Policy

This week has been a big one for new parents. There is a shortage of baby formula in the United States that has the potential to be devastating.

May 10, 2022

2-minute read

Organic food during a famine?

Two thirds of Canadians bought organic groceries on a weekly basis in 2020, but with the rising cost of food, families are having to make tough decisions at the cash register.

May 2, 2022

2-minute read

Canada needs to export more energy, to more places

Earlier last week, Russia cut off natural gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland in retribution for sanctions related to the ongoing war with Ukraine.

April 30, 2022

MEI – Canadians want oil/gas sent to countries which rely on Russia – Krystle Wittevrongel

April 30, 2022 | 7 min. 42 sec. | The Roy Green Show (Global Radio) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst […]

April 30, 2022

4-minute read

Security guards could make schools safer at less cost than police

If visibility and patrol in schools reduces crime, then acknowledging and utilizing the resources and support available through highly trained and qualified security personnel is an absolute must.

April 7, 2022

2-minute read

More Oil… Fewer Pipelines?

President Biden has acknowledged the need for more oil, and is looking for ways to get it from Canada, but without resurrecting the Keystone XL pipeline, which he killed his first day in office.

March 28, 2022

2-minute read

Canadian Hospitals Aren’t the Best in the World?

We Canadians like to think we lead the world when it comes to health care. The facts, however, tell a different story.

March 25, 2022

1-minute read

Charter Schools Are Public Schools

Charter schools in Alberta are autonomous and non-profit, and they follow the curriculum set out by the province. Yet critics are complaining about the diversion of funding from public schools—even though charter schools are public schools.

March 23, 2022

1-minute read

Let’s talk, briefly, about pharmaceutical innovation

Leading up to the 2022 federal budget, one of the hopes of the pharmaceutical sector is that the government will repeal and rethink certain regulatory updates to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board.

March 18, 2022

2-minute read

British Columbia to hike minimum wage; Alberta takes a more nuanced approach

In response to inflation hitting a 30-year high and the cost of living rising at a head-spinning pace, British Columbia is set to increase its minimum wage by approximately 3% on June 1st, from $15.20 to $15.65 per hour.

February 15, 2022

2-minute read

A legal fight that didn’t need to be

The provincial government of Alberta is entering into a legal battle with the United States over the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline, which left the province on the hook for $1.3 billion.

February 14, 2022

MEI – Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage – Krystle Wittevrongel

Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst at the MEI, about how technology like carbon capture, utilization, and storage will help in meeting Canada’s aggressive global emissions reduction targets. Posted on The News Forum on February 14, 2022.

February 8, 2022

1-minute read

Concrete recommendations to improve housing affordability by increasing supply

We’ve all seen the news lately—the housing market is red hot. While many provinces are grappling with affordability, Ontario’s crisis is the worst in the country.

February 7, 2022

5-minute read

Cancelling the proposed carbon capture tax credit will do more harm than good

Carbon capture technologies are currently responsible for capturing and storing at least 4 million tonnes of carbon per year in Canada.

January 29, 2022

1-minute read

Good move, Alberta

Announced on Thursday, private provider DynaLIFE will begin taking over approximately 65% of all provincial lab work in Alberta.

January 25, 2022

4-minute read

Taxing homes is the wrong way to cool the housing market

We need to consider what the purpose of taxation is to begin with. It is to fund government expenditure, not to micromanage supply and demand.

January 14, 2022

1-minute read

Electricity, CCUS, and net-zero

A new report by the International Energy Agency states that to achieve the climate goals the federal government has committed to, Canada would need to double or triple the electrical power generated from non-GHG-emitting energy sources.

January 11, 2022

1-minute read

Clean tech is a great idea, Calgary

Calgary Chamber of Commerce CEO Deborah Yedlin has reiterated the importance of accelerating clean tech for Calgary’s energy sector and economic recovery.

January 6, 2022

2-minute read

Yes, policing should be reformed

Both the Alberta government and the union representing the RCMP have planned a number of town hall meetings throughout 2022 to discuss moving toward a provincial police force.

November 29, 2021

4-minute read

The new drug-price reform: Not what the doctor ordered

With the implementation of the PMPRB’s new regime fast approaching, time is running out for the Liberal government’s newly appointed cabinet to reconsider, given the dire consequences of this reform.

November 23, 2021

5-minute read

Banning blood buys is bad business

It has been urged by ethicists and economists, including two Nobel Prize winners, that bans on paying for plasma be rethought, as both the ethical and economic arguments against a compensatory model are weak.

November 17, 2021

6-minute read

Canadian Institute for Climate Choices: Sink or Swim Report Sinks, Riddled with Holes

Recently, the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices released its Sink or Swim report detailing Canada’s economic prospects in the global low-carbon transition. A quick survey of the report uncovers many erroneous assumptions, seriously undermining its overall conclusions.

November 15, 2021

2-minute read

More Regulations, More Problems

You might think that a doctor in, say, Ontario would automatically be allowed to work in neighbouring Manitoba. But you would be wrong.

November 5, 2021

2-minute read

More Red Tape Reduction for Alberta

On November 4, Alberta’s second Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act, Bill 80, was tabled. This bill proposes over a dozen changes across nine different pieces of legislation.

November 1, 2021

3-minute read

Alberta leads provinces in cutting interprovincial red tape on labour mobility

Alberta has been a leader in eliminating barriers to interprovincial free trade in the context of the CFTA . Other provinces should follow Alberta’s lead in this matter.

October 28, 2021

4-minute read

Let’s be smarter on carbon capture — we won’t get to net-zero without it

It is more important than ever to recognize the immense potential of CCUS technologies and to foster a robust, self-sustaining market for them.

October 28, 2021

5-minute read

Captage du carbone: la solution entrepreneuriale qu’il nous faut

Plus que jamais, il est important de reconnaître l’immense potentiel des technologies de CUSC et de promouvoir la création d’un marché robuste et autonome pour celles-ci.

October 28, 2021

6-minute read

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage: Concrete Market-Based Recommendations to Reduce GHG Emissions

With the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) set to begin in a few short days, governments are expected to double down on GHG emission reduction targets. A recent MEI publication described how carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies can allow governments to reach their targets without compromising our standard of living. This follow-up publication offers tangible solutions to encourage uptake of this new technology by entrepreneurs.

October 21, 2021

2-minute read

The rising costs of policing is in the news yet again

The costs of policing have ballooned in recent years alongside growing public scrutiny of the roles and responsibilities of police officers and the changing context in which they work.

October 14, 2021

5-minute read

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Reducing GHG Emissions

With GHG emission reduction targets getting ever more ambitious, and the pressing need for concrete results, the technological tools at our disposal keep improving. This publication looks at CO2 capture, utilization, and storage/sequestration (CCUS) technologies, which are playing a bigger and bigger role and could allow us to reach our targets without compromising our standard of living.

October 4, 2021

2-minute read

Alberta Keeps Cutting Red Tape

Alberta’s new Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Tanya Fir, has sure been on a hot streak since her appointment in July.

September 16, 2021

3-minute read

Canada’s plan for climate change needs to use all the tools in its artillery

Largely absent from the mainstream dialogue on the shifting energy landscape is any pragmatic talk about the productive use of carbon emissions.

September 14, 2021

MEI – Let the Police Police, and Let Entrepreneurs Handle the Rest – Krystle Wittervonguel

Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst at the MEI, about a new way of seeing the division of labour for police that could generate substantial savings all while improving the quality of services delivered to the public. Broadcast on September 14, 2021 on CFCF-TV’s CTV News Montreal at Noon.

September 9, 2021

4-minute read

Don’t defund but do rethink the police

As fiscal pressures continue to mount, a more sensible allocation of front-line police officers is becoming increasingly important.

September 8, 2021

6-minute read

Let the Police Police, and Let Entrepreneurs Handle the Rest

For a few years now, crime rates have been rising in Canada. At the same time, our police forces are facing mounting financial pressures. This research paper proposes a new way of seeing the division of labour for police that could generate substantial savings all while improving the quality of services delivered to the public.

September 6, 2021

4-minute read

Reducing our emissions without penalizing rural regions

After many years of public policies aimed at reducing GHGs, layered one on top of the other, it’s time to ask ourselves if our rural regions are not being penalized disproportionately by all of these measures.

September 5, 2021

3-minute read

The oil and gas industry is helping rein in Alberta’s deficit. Can it also help lower GHGs?

If we want to have a chance of hitting this ambitious target, we need to shift the narrative from blaming the oil and gas industry to embracing it as an integral part of the solution.

September 4, 2021

MEI – Protecting the environment without harming rural regions – Krystle Wittevrongel

September 4, 2021 | 6 min. 17 sec. | The Roy Green Show (Global Radio) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst […]

September 2, 2021

16-minute read

Environmental Policies Should Be Adapted for Rural Canadians

For many years, governments have been piling measure upon measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, all in an effort to fight climate change. This Economic Note published by the MEI analyzes the extent to which these public policies have a disproportionate impact on the country’s rural regions.

August 27, 2021

2-minute read

Election 2021 – Free Trade in Canada: An Inclusive Growth Policy

An overwhelming majority of economists agree that international free trade grows businesses and creates good-paying jobs.

August 4, 2021

3-minute read

What is a province’s credit rating and why does it matter?

As consumers, we generally pay close attention to our own credit scores. As residents, we should also keep a close eye on our province’s credit rating.

July 23, 2021

2-minute read

Red Tape Reduction in the Agriculture Industry in Alberta: A Low-Hanging Fruit

In order to not just rebuild but also enhance economic opportunity, Alberta needs to carefully consider policy choices that will allow it to lead and to grow.

July 19, 2021

5-minute read

Canada’s next frontier of clean energy must include nuclear

Canada’s capacity to compete as a global leader in clean nuclear energy has stalled.

June 23, 2021

2-minute read

Innovation and Entrepreneurship – The Albertan Way

In conjunction with the 2020 Recovery Plan, the Alberta government should encourage innovation through the cultivation of values that run deep in the province, and support a competitive business environment.

June 23, 2021

3-minute read

Changes to royalties could super-charge upgrading in Alberta

Updating the royalty system to one based on market pricing for bitumen also invites capital investment and the accompanying development of other oil sands products such as carbon fibre.

June 17, 2021

MEI – Shortening Approval Delays for New Drugs – Krystle Wittevrongel

June 17, 2021 | 14 min. 45 sec. | Kitchener Today (570 News) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst at the […]

June 17, 2021

11-minute read

Shortening Approval Delays for New Drugs: A Safe, Straightforward Prescription

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us once again the importance of quickly developing and approving the use of innovative drugs. This publication has two recommendations to help ensure that Canadians have quicker access to medications.

June 16, 2021

4-minute read

Let’s have permanently quicker drug approvals

New drugs and vaccines likely to increase life expectancy, quality of life and save money, so we should reduce approval delays as much as possible.

June 9, 2021

2-minute read

Telemedicine Improves Access to Care While Reducing Demand on ERs

Outside of COVID-19, telemedicine is particularly important in remote areas, where patients may otherwise have to travel long distances to see a physician.

May 26, 2021

4-minute read

Pharmaceutical Innovation: The Undesirable Side Effects of Price Controls

As the world watches massive national vaccination campaigns unfold, the direct positive impacts of pharmaceutical innovation on the health and well-being of the population could not be clearer.

May 26, 2021

5-minute read

Innovation pharmaceutique: les effets secondaires indésirables du contrôle des prix

Alors que les campagnes de vaccination nationales battent leur plein, les effets positifs de l’innovation pharmaceutique sur la santé et le bien-être de la population ne peuvent être plus clairs.

May 17, 2021

MEI – Life After COVID: What’s Next for Canada? – Krystle Wittevrongel

May 17, 2021 | 10 min. 15 sec. | The Geoff Currier Show (Global Radio) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst […]

May 17, 2021

2-minute read

E-Book – Life After COVID: What’s Next for Canada?

The Montreal Economic Institute is one of five organizations calling for a timely examination of our collective finances, health care systems, options for economic growth, and more in the free e-book entitled “Life After COVID: What’s next for Canada?”

May 8, 2021

3-minute read

Regulatory quicksand holds back clean tech in Alberta

Sitting on these abandoned and orphaned wells instead of repurposing them is a forgone opportunity, and a shameful waste.

May 7, 2021

2-minute read

Lowering Lumber Prices with Freer Interprovincial Trade

Restrictions have likely contributed to the ballooning of lumber prices over the past year, since some less developed local lumber mills aren’t able to process the volumes required by the market.

April 19, 2021

MEI – The removal of internal trade barriers in Canada – Krystle Wittevrongel

April 19, 2021 | 7 min. 47 sec. | The Mike Farwell Show (570 News) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst […]

April 12, 2021

2-minute read

COVID-19: Alberta Needs Broader Reform to Tackle Surgical Backlog

While the Alberta government is taking a step in the right direction by emulating Saskatchewan and utilizing private surgical facilities to perform publicly paid surgeries and reduce its backlog, broader reform is needed.

March 30, 2021

4-minute read

Le commerce entre les provinces, «qu’ossa donne»?

Selon des études économiques poussées, il serait possible d’augmenter le PIB par habitant du Canada de 3,8% simplement en éliminant les barrières au commerce interprovincial.

March 30, 2021

4-minute read

Free interprovincial trade once and for all

A true free trade agreement is a simple, low-cost way to stimulate the economy, raise our productivity, and in the end, improve our general standard of living.

March 30, 2021

10-minute read

Internal Trade Provincial Leadership Index – 2021 Edition

With the vaccine rollout in full swing, the public’s attention is increasingly focused on economic recovery. The authors of this Research Paper propose a very simple solution: a true free trade agreement among the Canadian provinces. This publication includes among other things a ranking of the provinces and territories according to their openness to internal trade. Alberta takes first place, and Quebec comes in last.

March 24, 2021

1-minute read

Buckle Up for a Complicated Tax Season

The 2020 tax year will undoubtedly be one of the most complicated in history, with tax preparers “bracing for a tsunami of complex returns and taxpayer anxiety.”

March 22, 2021

MEI – Entrepreneurs Stepped Up in Response to COVID-19 – Krystle Wittevrongel

Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Public Policy Analyst at the MEI, about how numerous businesses came through for us when we needed them most. Broadcast on March 22, 2021, on CFCF-TV’s CTV News Montreal at Noon.

March 11, 2021

4-minute read

Entrepreneurs are pandemic’s unsung heroes

The agility our businesspeople have showed in rising to the occasion deserves to be acknowledged and applauded.

March 11, 2021

4-minute read

L’effort de guerre des entrepreneurs

On constate souvent en temps de crise que les barrières bureaucratiques cèdent le pas et que l’innovation s’accélère. La dernière année l’a démontré.

March 11, 2021

6-minute read

Entrepreneurs Stepped Up in Response to COVID-19

For over a year now, the spotlight has been on governments and the actions they have taken in the context of the pandemic, sometimes obscuring the great contribution of entrepreneurs in maintaining a certain quality of life for Canadians in these difficult times. This publication lifts the veil on the efforts made by entrepreneurs to reinvent themselves, pick up the pace, and help us meet this challenge.

February 19, 2021

3-minute read

Airlines: It’s Barriers to Entry, Not Market Shares, That Matter

On February 11, 2021, the Trudeau government approved the purchase of Air Transat by Air Canada. Should consumers be worried about potential price hikes?

February 9, 2021

3-minute read

Minimum Wage Hikes Only Seem Compassionate

The federal minimum wage in the United States has been $7.25 an hour since 2009, and for years lawmakers and activists have called for its increase.

November 14, 2020

MEI – Public poll shows Canadians are not satisfied with healthcare system – Krystle Wittevrongel

November 14, 2020 | 8 min. 02 sec. | Roy Greeen Show (Global News) Interview with Krystle Wittevrongel, Associate Researcher at the […]

September 3, 2020

3-minute read

The probability of not dying from COVID-19 based on official data provided by provincial and federal governments

Covid has exacted a tragic toll across Canada. As of August, the pandemic has cost the lives of over 9,000 Canadians, with […]

August 12, 2020

4-minute read

Alberta’s Bill 30 is a step toward delivering universal health care in an entrepreneurial way

Bill 30, by opening the door to more entrepreneurship in care delivery within the province’s universal health care system, is a step in the right direction.

August 12, 2020

10-minute read

Entrepreneurship and Universality: The Way Forward for Health Care in Alberta

Alberta’s legislature passed Bill 30, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, on July 29. Considering Alberta’s underperforming health care system, the proposed reforms amount to a small step in the right direction according to the authors of this publication by the Montreal Economic Institute.

June 15, 2020

2-minute read

COVID-19 and Car Accidents

Several days ago, The Wall Street Journal published a piece entitled “The Covid Age Penalty: New patient data offers a guide to opening while protecting seniors.”

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Krystle Wittevrongel

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