I just read an article in the Economist quoting the Facebook data centre guy citing the lack of a sales tax in Oregon as a main reason they set up a mega data centre there. They swap out servers every…
Continue ReadingAttracting Immigrant Start-Ups
I have never fully understood why many New Brunswickers are suspicious of people and companies that are not from here. Maybe it’s because of our small size or because so many people leave to find opportunity elsewhere. Maybe we just…
Continue ReadingAvoiding a natural gas lockout in New Brunswick
As usual when I write anything about shale I’ll get a few emails/Tweets that are quite harsh. In my opinion, it doesn’t add much to any debate to hurl insults. But I will respond to the person suggesting I rewatch…
Continue ReadingBring on the boomtown
If you were to list the industries that were the most critical to the unprecedented quality of life that humans enjoy around the world the two at the top would be agriculture and energy. In fact, a massive amount of…
Continue ReadingThe young are much less likely to be self-employed in New Brunswick
The young are much less likely to be self-employed in New Brunswick than the old (ish). We only have data on this from the 2006 Census (and next year from the 2011 Census) but you can see from the table…
Continue ReadingCom’ on down to the energy farmers’ market!
I have been thinking a lot lately about energy – wind, solar, gas, oil, co-gen, etc. and as I walked through the farmers market in Halifax I had a thought. The production of food and energy are 1) and 2)…
Continue ReadingQuebec, shale gas and Pandora’s Box
I already received an email this morning suggesting that no one has the right to tell Quebec which industries it can or can’t development. If they were to re-read my column in the Economy Lab they would see the…
Continue ReadingRegional Economic Development: Whither Strategy? Advocacy? Engagement?
At long last, the provincial government has announced its plans for regional economic development in New Brunswick….. sort of. In fact, the provincial government is doing two things: 1) it is scrapping the Enterprise agencies and 2) it is setting up provincial…
Continue ReadingMy intellectual journey takes a slightly new direction
I am very happy to announce that I have been asked to join the Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy and Public Administration at the Université de Moncton as a Research Fellow. For me this is an exciting new direction.…
Continue ReadingPromoting private sector economic stimulus?
As published in the Telegraph-Journal last Saturday: Earlier this week, I received a Tweet from The Globe and Mail entitled “Premier signals stimulus package to combat slowdown”. As most Canadian provinces are in full austerity mode these days I…
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