Welcome to the Centre for the Study of Living Standards
Welcome to the Centre for the Study of Living Standards
Contact Information 170 Laurier Avenue West
Suite 604
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5V5
CANADA
Tel: +1.613.233.8891
E-mail: info@csls.ca
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards is a non-profit, national, independent organization that seeks to contribute to a better understanding of trends in and determinants of productivity, living standards and economic well-being through research.
Announcements & Recent Releases
On Dec 18, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and The Productivity Institute (TPI) at the University of Manchester released the 47th issue of their flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The issue contains symposia on industrial policy and productivity and on climate change and productivity by a number of leading international researchers in these fields. The full issue can be found here .
On November 5, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards has posted for the position of Executive Director. Information on the position, including job description and requirements, is found at here .
On October 30, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the research report "Explaining the Post-2017 Fall in Productivity in the Transport Sector in Canada" commissioned by Transport Canada. The report sheds light on the nature of the considerable fall in productivity growth in the transportation and warehousing sector and its implications for the business sector productivity in Canada. It also compares the Canadian transportation productivity performance relative to other advanced economies. Three of the transportation sub-industries, namely air transport, public transit and trucking are found to account for over 78 per cent of the fall in labour productivity growth in the sector between 2017 and 2023. The report provides a detailed analysis of how and why productivity fell in these industries. To view the report click here .
On October 28, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Michelle Alexopoulos, Professor of Economics at the University of Toronto (cross appointment with the faculty of Information); Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary.
On October 25, 2024, Andrew Sharpe, the Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards gave the presentation entitled "Productivity Developments in Natural Resource Industries in Canada?" to the ADM Policy Committee at Natural Resources Canada. The presentation highlighted some of the key productivity trends in natural resources industries in Canada and then proceeded to discuss the drivers of productivity growth in the natural resources sector. In the end, policy solutions to increase productivity in these industries were discussed.
To view the presentation click here .
On October 17, 2024, Andrew Sharpe, the Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards gave the presentation entitled "Diagnosing and Explaining Canada's Post-2014 Stagnation in Manufacturing Productivity Growth: Ten Stylized Facts ". The presentation aimed at shedding light on the nature of the stagnation of manufacturing productivity growth since 2014. It also looked at trends in different measures of manufacturing productivity, from both historical and international perspectives, by manufacturing sector and by province, by sources of growth and by productivity driver.
To view the presentation click here .
On October 9, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the research report "Is There Still Momentum in the Atlantic Canada Economy?" Commissioned by the Public Policy Forum, the study reports on trends in 25 economic and social indicators in seven five domains (macro economy, human capital, labour market, innovation and investment, and quality of life) in Atlantic Canada between 2008-2015 and 2015-2022/2023, identifying indicators that experienced momentum or improved performance between periods.To view the report click here .
The report was used as the basis for the recently released Public Policy Forum publication entitled "Adjusting the Sails: 2024 Atlantic Canada Momentum Index" available here .
On September 30, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living released a report entitled "How Has the Recent Surge in Population Growth in Canada Affected Productivity." The report makes the case that the surge in immigration over the last few years, particularly amongst Non-Permanent Residents (NPRs), has contributed to the recent decline in Canada's productivity. The full report can be found here .
On September 27, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living released the report entitled "Productivity in the Public Sector: a Review of the Literature." The objective of the report is to build a deeper understanding of the concept of productivity in the public service, its reality, and its drivers, in order to inform future people management research and policy. This report is particularly relevant in the context of the recently announced Treasury Board working group on productivity in the public sector. The full report can be found here .
On July 23, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and The Productivity Institute (TPI) at the University of Manchester released the 46th issue of their flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. This issue features a symposium of three articles on the role of intangibles in international productivity growth, an article on the decline of Canada's real GDP per capita and article on the role of managerial quality in output, employment and productivity adjustments. The full issue can be found here .
On July 2, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) in partnership with the Business Council of British Columbia produced the report "2024 B.C. Prosperity Index". The purpose of this report is to compare BC's performance in terms of 13 indicators cross three domains (Productive Business Environment, Economic Prosperity, Societal Well-being) for 21 jurisdictions, including 8 OECD countries, the 10 Canadian provinces, and the three Pacific states. Overall BC ranked 11 out of 21 jurisdictions. For accessing the full report click here .
On June 1, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, will be organizing two sessions at the CEA 2024 annual conference in Toronto. The first session is a CSLS Paper Session entitled "Explaining Key Developments in Productivity Trends" with three papers presented. The second session is organized in collaboration with the Progressive Economics Forum and is entitled "Explaining Declining Productivity in Canada". For more details about the sessions and papers presented, click here .
On May 7, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the research report "Decline and Fall: Trends in Family Formation and Fertility on Canada since 2001" by CSLS Deputy Executive Director Tim Sargent. Published with the MacDonald Laurier Institute, the report provides a cogent discussion of family formation and fertility trends in Canada. The reports finds that being part of a family provides incredible benefits, but that Canadians are now significantly less likely to form families, a reason for governments to worry.
A press release with the highlights of the report is available here .
Link to the report's summary published at the Hub .
On May 2, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the research article "The Canadian Productivity Landscape-
an Overview" which has been published in the Canadian Tax Journal. The objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive but accessible account of the productivity landscape in Canada, including productivity developments and proximate explanations of trends. The article provides an overview of the basic concepts, metrics, trends, and types of analysis found in productivity discussion in this country.
On May 1, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards in collaboration with the YMCA released the report entitled "Addressing the Early Childhood Educator Labour Shortages in Canada: Challenges, Solutions and Impacts " by Alisaleh Shariati. Based on the review of the literature related to the labour supply of ECEs, it finds that 25 per cent increase in ECE wages would bring sufficient ECEs to support the expansion of the child care system in Canada.
The report then employs two methodologies to estimate the potential increase in maternal labour force participation that could be forthcoming from expanded child care and estimates that higher ECE wages could increase the labour force participation of mothers with children 0-5 by an annual average rate of of 1.51 to 1.68 percentage points. This increase in labour force participation can boost the Canadian GDP by $2.25 to $2.48 billion per year. At a price tag of $1.2 billion, this represents a benefits-to-cost ratio of up to 1.88 to 2.06. Moreover, the report discusses the potential long-term effects of an adequately staffed universal child care system on children's development, quality of care and fertility rates.
On March 25, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors: Michael Wernick, Jariskowsky Chair at the University of Ottawa and former Clerk of the Privy Council Office; Jean-Francois Perrault , Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist at Scotia Bank: and Louis Marc Ducharme, former Chief Statistician at the International Monetary Fund.
On January 29, 2024, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report entitled "Closing the First Nations Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits - An Update Using 2021 Census Data" by Chris Haun. Using the latest available Census data, this report first assesses key labour market gaps facing First Nations people in Canada relative to non-Indigenous Canadians in 2021. The report finds that while significant progress has been made in closing gaps in employment rates and employment incomes between the two populations since 2016, the rates of improvement of the educational attainment for the non-Indigenous population have outpaced First Nations rates of improvement, causing the gap to widen slightly. The report estimates that the cumulative economic benefits associated with closing the education gap over the 2021-2041 period could be as large as $233 billion, and that the cumulative economic benefits associated with closing all three gaps of interest over the same timeframe could be as large as $369 billion.
On December 21, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and The Productivity Institute (TPI) at the University of Manchester released the 45th issue of their flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. This issue features a symposium of five articles on Canada's productivity performance, with contributions from Finance Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Statistics Canada, and the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, and three articles on the measurement of capital, capacity utilization and productivity. The full issue can be found here .
On Dec 14, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the report entitled "A Detailed Analysis of Canada's Post-2000 Productivity Performance and Pandemic-Era Productivity Slowdown" by Chris Haun. This report contextualizes Canada's productivity performance and leverages recent Statistics Canada and OECD data to identify the sources of the post-2000 productivity slowdown in the country. Through comparisons with the United States and other peer countries in the OECD, Canada's productivity performance is characterized as relatively poor but hardly exceptional. By utilizing the CSLS's own decomposition framework as well as Statistics Canada growth accounting estimates, the report finds that a) the post-2000 slowdown has been driven primarily by trends in within-sector productivity and b) the slowdown reflects broad deterioration in all three primary sources of growth (multifactor productivity, capital intensity, and labour quality). Given the persistent challenges facing the Canadian economy like enduring supply chain constraints and fading investment (particularly in ICT), the path back to 1% annual productivity growth is framed as a narrow one.
On Dec 5, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the report entitled "An Econometric Analysis of the Impact of Broadband Internet on Productivity" authored by CSLS Deputy Executive Director Dr. Timothy Sargent. The Study was commissioned by TELUS. Spanning 116 countries over the period 2009-2019, the report reveals the substantial role broadband internet plays in driving productivity across nations, both developed and developing. In Canada, broadband internet is estimated to have contributed 0.16 percentage points annually to productivity growth. This accounts for a notable 17% of Canada's aggregate labour productivity growth over the decade. The press release is available here.
On November 17, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report by Adriana Suuronen "A Detailed Analysis of Labour Productivity Development in New Brunswick, 1997-2022". This report analyzes labour productivity developments in New Brunswick at the aggregate level and for two-digit NAICS industries between 1997 and 2022. Total economy labour productivity increased in New Brunswick by 1.05 percent per year over the period, similarly to Canda's growth rate of 1.12 percent per year. Nevertheless, the level of labour productivity in New Brunswick was only 80.5 percent of Canada's value in 2022.
On November 17, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report by Leonel Ordonez "The Deteriorating Investment Performance of New Brunswick: The Achilles Heel of the Economy". This report provides an analysis of investment trends in New Brunswick over the past six decades. Based on New Brunswick's investment growth, the share of investment in GDP and net investment, the overall picture suggests that the province's investment has weakened. Particularly since 2008, the province experienced a substantial fall in its gross investment. The main driver of this development was a decrease in non-residential business investment in structural assets.
On October 6, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report by Adriana Suuronen "The Recovery of the New Brunswick Provinical Government Fiscal Situation". This report describes the trends of the fiscal situation in New Brunswick between 1990-1991 and 2021-2022 and explores how policy decisions regarding the revenues and expenditures of the provincial government have led to the recovery of the New Brunswick fiscal situation since 2009-2010. This report also analyzes the debate on how New Brunswick should move forward concerning their budget balance. The overall findings indicate that the recovery of the New Brunswick provincial government fiscal situation was largely due to an increase in equalization payments and a decrease in expenditure in the province.
On September 28, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) Deputy Director Tim Sargent gave a presentation entitled "Twin Transitions and Inclusiveness" in the closing panel of the OECD Global Forum on Productivity which took place in Santiago, Chile. The presentation explored the challenges facing governments in addressing the trilemma of ensuring economic growth and at the same time promoting the green transition and social inclusiveness. The presentation is available here.
On September 15, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Literature Review of the Economic Impacts of Broadband". This comprehensive literature review examines the economic impacts of broadband, with a focus on productivity and economic growth. The report explores various measures used to quantify broadband impacts, including penetration rates, speed, and technology adoption. Overall, findings indicate a generally positive association between broadband penetration and output and labour productivity, despite some mixed results from earlier studies. More recent studies with improved methodologies consistently demonstrate a positive impact. Similarly, studies on TFP and employment reveal a positive influence of broadband.
On September 6, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) released the report "Valuing Data: Where Are We and Where Do We Go Next?" written by CSLS Deputy Executive Director Tim Sargent. This report looks at measuring the value of data in national accounts using three different categories of data-related assets: data itself, databases and data science. The focus then turns to three recent studies by statistical agencies in Canada, the Netherlands and the United States to examine how each country uses a cost-based analysis to value data-related assets. The report concludes with recommendations that include widening data-valuation efforts to the public sector, which is a major holder of data. The social value of data also needs to be calculated by considering both the positive and negative aspects of data-related investment and use. Appropriate data governance strategies are needed to ensure that data is being used for everyone's benefit.
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and the Indigenous education organization Indspire released the report "The Contribution of Indigenous People to Future Labour Force Growth in Canada: An Update".The report finds that if labour force participation rate gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups do not change, Indigenous people, who were 4.6 per cent of the labour force in 2021, will be responsible for 10 per cent of total labour force growth in Canada to 2041. If the participation rate gaps were to close, this contribution would rise to 15 per cent.
On June 20, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and The Productivity Institute (TPI) at the University of Manchester released the 44th issue of their flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. This issue features five high-quality articles from leading productivity researchers; a review of the rise of pro-productivity institutions; a proposal for improved measures of output, input and productivity in the non-profit sector; a comparison of estimates of capital and total factor productivity growth across international databases; an analysis of productivity in West Asian Arab countries; and lessons from productivity research. The full issue can be found here.
On June 3, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, in collaboration with the Progressive Economics Forum, hosted a session at the CEA 2023 annual conference in Winnipeg entitled "Inflationary Shocks, Real Wages, and Income Distribution in Canada Since 2019: Are We Witnessing a Wage-Price Spiral?" The panelists were Mario Seccareccia, Professor Emeritus at the University of Ottawa, Danny Leung, Director of the Economic Analysis Divison at Statistics Canada, Angella MacEwen, Senior Economist with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the CSLS's own Deputy Executive Director, Tim Sargent. Additional details, including presentations from the panel, can be found here here.
The Canadian Economics Association presents the Mike McCracken Award every two years to recognize theoretical and applied contributions to the development or use of economic statistics in Canada. On June 2, 2023, the prize committee selected Andrew Sharpe (Centre for the Study of Living Standards) as the winner, stating "Through his founding and development of the Centre
for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and the International Productivity Monitor (IPM), as well as his many other contributions, Andrew has contributed significantly to the policy relevance and public understanding of official economic statistics in Canada. The committee noted Andrew's tenacity in ceaselessly working to increase understanding of productivity and living standards, two issues that are central to the health of the Canadian economy, and the
well-being of Canadians. Throughout his career, he has had a strong focus on the public good. The committee also noted Andrew's substantial contributions to the training of economists, and the development of official statistics." Information on the prize can be found here.
On March 22, 2023, the report "The Atlantic Canada Momentum Index" written by CSLS Executive Director Andrew Sharpe for the Public Policy Forum was released. The report examines trends in 20 key economic and social indicators between the 2008-2015 and 2015-2021 periods by province and finds that Atlantic Canada experienced greater momentum than the other parts of the country. Strong population growth due to greater immigration was a key factor in this turnaround. The report is posted at "The Atlantic Canada Momentum Index".
On March 2, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released the report "An Assessment of First Nations Economic and Social Performance in New Brunswick". Using data from the 2016 and 2021 census, the report provides a detailed analysis of trends in income and poverty, labour market performance, and educational attainment for First Nations people in New Brunswick at the level of the province, the two First Nations (Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqey) and by reserve. Comparisons are made with the non-Indigenous population in New Brunswick and the First Nations population in Canada and other provinces. Between 2016 and 2021 there have been significant improvements in both absolute and relative terms for income, poverty and labour market outcomes for First Nations people in New Brunswick, especially off-reserve. Progress has been much less for educational attainment, especially on reserve.
On February 24, 2023, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released a major study done for the Assembly of First Nations entitled "Closing the First Nations Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits - An Update". The closure of the education gap is associated with an increase in GDP of about $30 billion in 2041 compared to the baseline scenario and about 105,000 additional jobs. Furthermore, over the 2021- 2041 period, the gradual closure of the education gap is associated with a cumulative $285 billion in additional GDP and a gain of about 1.03 million job-years (additional yearly employment incomes for First Nations people) compared to the baseline scenario. These gains result in a 0.05 percentage point boost to the annual GDP growth rate over the period, raising the figure from 1.71% to 1.76% per year. Similarly, the annual growth rate of Canadian employment is augmented from 0.95% per year to 0.97% per year, and the annual growth rate of labour productivity from 0.75% per year to 0.78% per year.
Effective January 10, 2023, The Centre for the Study of Living Standards is pleased to announce that Tim Sargent has joined the organization on a part-time basis as Deputy Executive Director. Tim has had a distinguished career in the federal public service, serving most recently as Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Other positions have included Deputy Minister of International Trade, Associate Deputy Minister at Finance Canada (G7 Deputy), Associate Deputy Minister at Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada, and Acting Deputy Secretary at the Privy Council Office. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of British Columbia.
On December 19, 2022, CSLS released the report The Potential for National Statistics to Transform Social Policy by Peter Hicks. This report examines changes to Statistics Canada's system of national social statistics. Existing social statistics are structured according to data sources, such as surveys, censuses, or administrative records. The system being envisaged would be based on an integrated model of society that shows how individuals interact with social institutions, including social programs, over the course of their lives. The new statistics hold much potential to, over time, sort out the role of different programs in affecting the lives of participants and, hence, to enable the development of accountable, evidence-driven, people-centric policies and programs.
On December 16, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and The Productivity Institute (TPI) at the University of Manchester released the 43rd issue of their flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. In addition to two regular articles, the issue
features a symposium on productivity and well-being, an area of research that has been little explored. The full issue can be found here.
On October 25, 2022, CSLS Executive Director Andrew Sharpe testified before the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy on the state of the economy and of inflation. His opening remarks are found here. The full testimony will be posted shortly.
On September 7, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report Public Infrastructure and Productivity: Updating the Canadian Case. The report examines the relationship between public infrastructure and productivity in Canada, and finds output and productivity elasticities for aggregated public infrastructure to be predominantly insignificant from zero. A detailed disaggregation of public infrastructure by asset type and function also yields largely insignificant results.
On July 27th, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) and The Productivity Institute (TPI) at the University of Manchester released the 42nd issue of their flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. In addition to four regular articles, the issue
features a symposium on productivity and well-being, an area of research that has been little explored. The full issue can be found here.
On June 9th and 10th, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research (AIPR), hosted a workshop in Fredericton, New Brunswick entitled "The New Brunswick Economy: The Way Forward." More information on the event, including the program, the full list of delegates, and slides from select presenters can be found here.
On June 3, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), in collaboration with the Progressive Economics Forum, hosted a panel session at the CEA 2022 annual conference entitled "Are Labour Shortages Really Constraining the Canadian Economy?" Additional details including Powerpoint slides from the panelists can be found here.
On March 17, 2022, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released the report The Current State of Research on the Two-way Linkages between Productivity and Well-being. The report was prepared by Andrew Sharpe and Shahrzad Mobasher Fard, and its objective is to survey the current state of research on the two-way linkages between productivity and well-being.
On February 14, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report The Impact of Transport Infrastructure on Productivity in Canada. The report, produced in collaboration with Transport Canada, examines the relationship between transportation infrastructure and output and productivity in Canada, and estimates different specifications of a static Cobb-Douglas production function.
On January 19, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report Economic Projections for Canada and the Provinces, 2019-2038. The report projects economic growth for Canada of 1.71 per cent per year over the 2019-2038 period, up from 1.56 per cent from an earlier projection released in 2018. The higher growth rate reflects an assumption of higher levels of immigration.
On January 5, 2022, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) in collaboration with The Productivity Institute (TPI) in the UK released the Fall 2021 issue of its flagship publication, International Productivity Monitor. The 41th issue features a symposium on the decoupling of productivity and pay in the United States, the UK and Canada. Contributors include Lawrence Summers from Harvard University, John van Reenen from LSE and MIT, and Larry Mishel from the Economic Policy Institute.The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview and the press release . The podcast summarizing the symposium is found here.
On December 9, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "A Strengthening Position at the Bargaining Table? Understanding the Productivity Median Wage Gap in Canada, 1976 2019". For 1976 to 2019, real median hourly wage grew at 0.14 per cent average annual rate, 0.96 percentage points below the rate of growth of labour productivity of 1.10 per cent per year. About one half of the growth gap was due to growing wage inequality and one quarter was due to the falling labour share of income.
On November 16-17, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards and The Productivity Institute based at the University of Manchester are holding a virtual workshop entitled “Productivity and Well-being: Measurement and Linkages.” At the event ten papers on various aspects of the productivity/well-being relationship will be presented and discussed. Revised versions of the papers will be published in a symposium on the productivity/well-being nexus in the Spring 2022 issue of the International Productivity Monitor. The Productivity Institute is organizing the event. Interested persons are invited to attend this virtual workshop on a complimentary basis. The program and registration information is found here.
On October 29, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "The Index of Economic Well-being for New Brunswick, 1981-2019". This research report presents estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being (IEWB) and its four domains (consumption flows, stocks of wealth, economic equality and economic security) for New Brunswick from 1981 to 2019.
On October 20, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "North Versus South: Income Disparities in New Brunswick, 2000-2019". This research report, produced in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research at the University of New Brunswick, provides a detailed analysis of income trends and levels in New Brunswick by the province's three census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and four census agglomerations (CAs) compared to trends and levels in areas outside the CMAs and CAs between 2000 and 2019.
On October 20, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Richer and Fairer: New Brunswick Income Trends, 1976-2019". This research report, produced in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research at the University of New Brunswick, provides a detailed analysis of income trends in New Brunswick over the past four decades.
On October 20, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Turning the Tide: Demographic Developments in New Brunswick, 1951-2020". This research report, in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research at the University of New Brunswick with financial assistance from the Crabtree Foundation, provides a detailed analysis into New Brunswick's demographic developments for the 1951-2020 period.
On August 18, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Should Economics Play a Greater Role in the Adjudication of Human Rights Claims?" by CSLS Research Associates David Lewis and Ian Currie. The authors make the case that economics should indeed play a greater role in human rights claims. They argue that economic analysis can counter what some legal scholars have found to be “inconsistency, incoherence and unfairness” in the adjudication of human rights claims by providing an objective and independent evidentiary baseline for monetary awards. They also find that the application of Cost-Benefit Analysis, together with government assistance in some cases, could help ensure against the loss of societal benefits arising from successful claims of undue hardship. The report is posted here. The press release is posted here.
On June 29, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) in collaboration with The Productivity Institute (TPI) in the UK released the Spring 2021 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The 40th issue features seven articles that discuss pay and productivity trends in Canada; the benchmarking of the productivity performance of frontier firms in New Zealand; the cause of Japan’s economic slowdown; and the measurement of the volume of output and productivity in services industries in OECD countries. The issue also contains a viewpoint on why Canada needs an Equitable Growth Institute and review articles on books on efficiency and productivity issues in the UK and techniques for the measurement of productivity. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview and the press release.
On June 8, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "The Productivity Performance of New
Brunswick Manufacturing: A Detailed Analysis, 1997-2019". This research report, prepared for Atlantic Institute for Policy Research at the University of New Brunswick, conducts a thorough investigation into New Brunswick's productivity performance in the manufacturing sector over the past 20 years.
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards has organized two panels at the Canadian Economic Associations's virtual conference.
- The first, on "Improving Economic Policy Advising in Canada" took place Thursday, June 3, 2021 from 1-2:30 pm
- The second, in partnership with the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research (AIPR), discussed the topic of "The Economic Performance and Outlook for Atlantic Provinces: Provincial Perspectives". The panel session took place on Friday, June 4, 2021 at 2pm Atlantic Time (1pm Eastern Time).
On May 28, 2021 CSLS Executive Director Andrew Sharpe made a presentation to the Prosperity Action Committee of the Senate of Canada entitled "An Agenda for Equitable Growth in Canada." A paper upon which the presentation was based is found here.
On April 26, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards announced the appointment of two new Board members, David Green, Professor of Economics at the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia and Donna Feir, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Victoria. Dr. Green chaired the British Columbia Expert Panel on Basic Income which recently issued the report Covering All the Basics: Reform for a More Just Society. Dr. Feir's work focuses on Indigenous issues, including Indigenous access to capital, reconciliation, modern Indigenous labour market experiences, and the impact of historical policies on Indigenous economies.
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) is working on an agreement with The Productivity Institute (TPI) in the United Kingdom on a partnership for the production of the International Productivity Monitor (IPM). Effective with the Spring 2021 issue the IPM would become the flagship publication of both organizations. TPI Managing Director Bart van Ark would join Andrew Sharpe as one of the two editors of the publication. The CSLS will continue to be responsible for the production of the journal. This agreement is advantageous to both organizations, given their common objective to foster a better understanding of productivity issues. This partnership would increase the reach of the IPM and make it an increasing important outlet for international productivity research around the world.
On April 19, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards and The Productivity Institute released a call for papers for a symposium or theme issue on the topic "Productivity and Well-being: Measurement and Linkages" to be published in the Spring 2022 issue of the International Productivity Monitor. The call for papers is posted here. The deadline for the call for papers in July 15, and a decision will be made by July 20.
On April 1, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "The World Bank Doing Business Index for Canada: An Assessment". This research report, prepared for Global Affairs Canada, conducts a thorough investigation into Canada's performance on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index (DBI). Since 2007, Canada's ranking has fallen from 4th to 23rd. This fall in ranking can be largely explained by Canada's performance on four pillars of the DBI: trading across borders, dealing with construction permits, enforcing contracts and getting electricity. The report also discusses criticisms of the DBI, which is particularly relevant given the temporary suspension of the DBI, announced August, 2020, in response to data irregularities found in the 2018 and 2020 Doing Business Reports. The key findings of the report are highlighted in the press release.
On January 26, 2021, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Impact of the Model Schools Literacy Project on Literacy and Fiscal Outcomes in First Nations in Canada". This research report, prepared for the Martin Family Initiative, concludes that the Model Schools Literacy Program (MSLP) results are promising and that improving literacy on indigenous reserves will amount to future cost savings and tax revenues for Canadian governments.
On December 16, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the Fall 2020 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The 39th issue features six articles that discuss the impact of the pandemic on productivity growth in Canada; short-run changes in output, hours worked, and output per hour in 87 Canadian industries; an overview of the newly-established UK Productivity Institute; a review of economic growth and productivity knowledge; and the impact of digitalization on the economy. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview and the press release.
On September 14, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Innovation in New Brunswick". This report, prepared for the Atlantic Institute for Policy Research at the University of New Brunswick, examines the linkages between innovation and productivity in New Brunswick by analyzing the levels and trends of indicators of innovation.
On September 11, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) was awarded the 2020 International Society for Quality of Life Standards Award for the Betterment of the Human Condition. Learn more about this prestigious award here. More information on our acheivements in the Index of Economic Well-being is available here.
On August 24, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "What Explains the Rising Profit Share in Canada?". This report, prepared for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), contributes to the discussion on the rising capital share by studying the evolution of the Canadian corporate profit share in the past three decades using both financial and national accounts data.
On August 13, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Holes in the Social Safety Net: Poverty, Inequality and Social Assistance in Canada". This report analyzes trends in poverty, inequality and social assistance dependence in Canada and by province, and includes policy recommendations to improve the overall social safety net.
On August 11, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "The Index of Economic Well-being for Newfoundland and Labrador, 1981-2018". This report presents estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being (IEWB) and its four domains of economic welfare (consumption flows, stocks of wealth, economic equality and economic security) for Newfoundland and Labrador from 1981 to 2018. The report was prepared for Collaborative Applied Research in Economics (CARE) at Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
On June 24, 2020 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "The Improved Labour Market Performance of New Immigrants to Canada, 2006-2019". This report uses estimates of labour market outcomes from the Canadian Labour Force Survey (LFS) to compare trends in outcomes among very recent immigrants (5 years or less since immigration), recent immigrants (5-10 years since immigration), and Canadian-born workers. Further information on the report can be found in the attached press release.
On June 16, 2020, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the Spring 2020 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The 38th issue features seven articles that discuss the impact of trust on productivity; the relationship between zombie firms, exit barriers and productivity; a three-article symposium on the sources of the Transatlantic productivity slowdown; the World Bank perspective on productivity; and productivity measurement in higher education. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview and the press release.
The report was mentioned in a Financial Post article here.
On June 9, 2020 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the study "The Price Effect of Trade: Evidence of the China Shock and Canadian Consumer Prices". The study finds that the overall CPI index was 1.2 percentage points lower in 2011 relative to a scenario where the share of imports from China in total Canadian imports did not increase and remained the same as in 2001. Further details on the study are in the attached press release. The study was commissioned by Global Affairs Canada.
On December 20, 2019, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the Fall 2019 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The issue features seven articles on a range of productivity-related topics: a comparison of the productivity growth slowdown between Europe and the United States; firm-level evidence on the impact of digitalization on productivity; the impact of the China shock on innovation and productivity in Canadian manufacturing; productivity dispersion at the firm level in Canada; the role of R&D in productivity improvement; consistency issues on the construction of productivity indices; and the state of productivity research. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview.
On October 2, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "A Prosperity Index for British Columbia: Technical Background". The purpose of this report is to present the estimates of the Prosperity Index for British Columbia with comparisons with three types of other jurisdictions (i.e. peer countries, Canadian provinces and Pacific U.S. states).
On September 5, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "A Detailed Analysis of Newfoundland and Labrador's Productivity Performance, 1997-2018". This report describes and explains the trends in productivity in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as trends in the variables used in the calculation of productivity, including output, labour input, and capital input. The main finding of the report is that the oil and gas sector has been responsible for most of Newfoundland and Labrador's economic growth, and now accounts for the largest share of the province’s business sector value added.
On September 3, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS), the Social Assistance Research Program and the Assembly of First Nation (AFN) organized the Expert Forum on First Nations Social Assistance Reform at the office of the Assembly of First Nations. The purpose of the forum was to discuss innovations and best practices for the delivery of social assistance to First Nations. A summary of the findings from the Expert Forum is available here. The materials presented at the Expert Forum can be found here.
On August 14, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "An Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities". This report develops a composite index to measure the gap in infrastructure between remote Indigenous communities in Northern Canada and the rest of the country. The main finding of the report is that remote Indigenous communities in Canada’s North score lower on the index than both Southern cities and remote northern non-Indigenous communities.
The report was mentioned in a CBC News article here.
On August 13, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Does Import Competition Reduce Domestic Innovation? Evidence from the 'China Shock' and Firm-Level Data on Canadian Manufacturing". Based on a firm-level database covering all incorporated firms in Canadian manufacturing, the report finds that rising Chinese import competition led to declines in R&D expenditure and TFP growth within firms but reallocated employment towards more productive firms and induced less productive firms to exit.
On August 7, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "R&D Spillovers in Canadian Industry: Results from a New Micro Database". The report confirms the existence of substantial spillover benefits from R&D performed in Canada, so government support for R&D is justified. However, the current policy of subsidizing R&D performed by small firms at a higher rate than R&D performed by larger firms is not supported by the evidence. The report also finds a much lower private rate of return on R&D performed by small firms than by large firms.
On July 11, 2019 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report "Household Incomes in Canada and the United States: Who is Better Off?". The report uses 2016 microdata from Canada and the United States to study differences in household incomes between the two countries. It shows that 56 per cent of Canadian households are better off than their American counterparts at the same point of the income distribution. This finding is driven by the lower income inequality in Canada, and illustrates how the usual comparison of incomes between Canada and the United States using GDP per capita or average household income hides a critical part of the story behind the Canada-US income differential.
On July 3, 2019, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the Spring 2019 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The issue, guest edited by Dale Jorgenson from Harvard University, features nine papers from the Fifth World KLEMS Conference held at the Kennedy School at Harvard University in June 2018. Dale Jorgenson has also written an introduction to the issue. These articles represent the most recent international research on productivity issues from a growth accounting perspective.The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview. A press release is available for this issue.
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards has organized four sessions for this year's Canadian Economic Association Annual Conference at Banff, Alberta from May 31 to June 2. The titles of the CSLS sessions are:
CSLS "Indigenous Economic Development"
CSLS "The Impact of China on the Canadian Economy"
CSLS-Statistics Canada "Firm-level Perspective on Canada's Productivity Performance"
CSLS-PEF "Economic Well-being in Canada: Past Trends and Future Challenges"
A full program of the Centre's sessions can be found here.
Details about the CEA 53rd Annual Conference can be found on the CEA website.
On January 9, 2019, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the Fall 2018 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. This issue contains eight articles featuring two individual articles and two symposia on a range of productivity-related topics. The topics of the two articles are employment and productivity in U.S. manufacturing and the role of demand and digitization in solving the productivity puzzle. The topic of the first symposium of four articles is explaining slower productivity growth since 2000 in Canada. The topic of the second symposium of two articles is the global productivity slowdown. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview. A press release is available for this issue.
On October 9, 2018
the Bertelsmann Foundation released the report
“Policy Performance and Governance Capacity in the OECD and EU: Sustainable Governance Indicators 2018,” a comprehensive assessment of governance indicators for OECD and EU countries. The Centre for the Study of Living Standards is a Canadian partner in the project and contributes to the report on Canada. The key finding of the report is that the quality of democracy in the OECD and EU has declined in recent years. At the same time, growing political polarization has made the day-to-day work of governance and thus member states’ capacity to reform more difficult. All country reports and data can be found at SGI website.
On August 21, 2018
the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the report
“Long-term Fiscal and Economic Projections for Canada and the Provinces and Territories, 2017-2038: An Update.”
This report updates economic projections for Canada and the provinces from a CSLS 2015 study (Drummond and Capeluck, 2015)
with new data from 2015, 2016 and 2017. The CSLS projections are based on a supply-side methodology where potential real
output growth is determined by trend labour productivity growth and potential labour supply growth, expressed in terms
of total hours. The CSLS currently projects real output growth of 1.6 per cent per year for Canada for the 2017-2038 period,
based on labour productivity growth of 1.0 per cent and labour input growth of 0.6 per cent. For Ontario, the CSLS projects
real output growth of 1.5 per cent based on 0.9 per cent labour productivity growth and 0.6 per cent for labour input growth.
In both cases, the CSLS projections are less rosy than other forecasters due to more pessimistic outlook for labour productivity growth.
After robust growth in ICT investment in Canada and the United States during the 1980s and 1990s,
growth in ICT investment started to slow after 2000 and its share in GDP entered a downward trajectory.
To explain this trend, we focus on two facets of the changing ICT spending pattern driven by the rise
in cloud computing starting in the mid-2000s. Instead of investing in ICT capital goods, organizations
now purchase cloud services from cloud service providers that appear to be more efficient in producing
computing services. Second, cloud service providers undertake substantial own-account investment in
ICT equipment which is not counted in official statistics. We find that spending on cloud services
in both Canada and the United States rose substantially from the mid-2000s. Also, adding own-account
ICT equipment investment by cloud service providers results in additional 1.7 percentage-points
in annual growth for nominal ICT investment in Canada and additional 1.1 percentage-points in the United States.
It is well known that there has been a secular decline in the manufacturing
share of total employment in Canada, with the decline accelerating after 2000.
Among the factors that contributed to that trend, this report focuses on rising
Chinese import competition in Canada, which also accelerated after 2000.
We find that the trade-induced job loss in manufacturing amounts to 113.5 thousand
during the 2001-2011 period but the loss was not equally distributed across skill groups.
We estimate that the loss was largely driven by: low-skilled occupations (89.8 thousand) when analyzed by skill level;
and occupations in services (57.6 thousand), technical/paraprofessional (12.1 thousand), and production (51.8 thousand)
when analyzed by skill type. A trade-induced job loss in manufacturing is also estimated by gender.
We find that females had a larger loss than males did in relative terms in all skill groups.
Lastly, the labour reallocation in response to a trade shock is found to be important in offsetting
the negative employment effect, but the degree of reallocation varies across skill groups and genders.
On August 10, 2018, the CSLS released a report entitled “Indigenous Recruitment, Retention, and Community Outreach in the Canadian Natural Resource Sector.” This report contributes to the literature on best practices for corporate engagement with Indigenous stakeholders, with an emphasis on hiring practices, workplace culture, and community engagement in the Canadian natural resource industry. The report summarizes relevant research and highlights key examples to demonstrate that respectful consultation and relationship-building can lead to mutually-beneficial outcomes for resource companies and Indigenous communities.
On June 28, 2018, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released the Spring 2018 issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor. The issue features seven articles on a range of productivity-related topics: the potential gains from more competitive regulatory settings for real per capita GDP growth in Canada; the role of capital measurement issues in accounting for slower productivity growth in Canada; the achievement of productivity lift-off in New Zealand; the productivity implication of a country’s position within Global Value Chains; explanations for the U.S. productivity slowdown; cyclical versus trend slowdowns in productivity growth; and the rise of the intangible economy. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the editor's overview. A press release is available for this issue.
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards has organized seven sessions for this year's Canadian Economic Association Annual Conference at McGill University in Montréal, Québec from June 1 to June 3, 2018. The titles of the CSLS sessions are:
CSLS-CD Howe Institute Joint Session on Indigenous Issues
CSLS-Productivity Partnership Session Explaining Canada’s Post-2000 Productivity Performance II: The Role of Technology
CSLS-Banque de France The Impact of Digital Technology, Credit Constraints, and Financial Frictions on Productivity
CSLS-Productivity Partnership Panel Explaining Canada’s Post-2000 Productivity Performance III: Can the Productivity Slowdown be Reversed and If So, How?
CSLS-PEF-Productivity Partnership “Boosting Employment and Productivity by Addressing the Labour Market Challenges of Individuals with Disabilities”
A full program of the Centre's sessions can be found here.
Details about the CEA 52nd Annual Conference can be found on the CEA website.
On December 19, 2017, the CSLS released a report entitled “The Contribution of Métis to Future Labour Force Growth in Canada” by Andrew Sharpe and Myeongwan Kim. The report, like previous work of the CSLS on Aboriginal people and labour force growth, advances the debate on the role of Aboriginal people for Canadian long-term economic growth by projecting the contribution of Métis people to future labour force growth in Canada as a whole and by region under various projection scenarios. In their baseline scenario over the 2011-2036 period, the Métis people is projected to account for 6.4 per cent of total labour force growth.
On November 14, 2017, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released a special issue of its flagship publication, the International Productivity Monitor, guest edited by Dale Jorgenson of Harvard University and founder of the World KLEMS Initiative. The issue is based on selected papers from the Fourth World KLEMS Conference held in Madrid in May 2016. The issue contains nine articles featuring the most recent research on productivity trends throughout the world. Topics addressed include: a comparison of productivity growth in China and India, the implications of the move to ICT services for the impact of ICT technologies on productivity, new estimates of human capital for the United States, productivity developments in Latin America, and sectoral developments in productivity performance in EU countries. The key findings of the articles are highlighted in the introduction by Dale Jorgenson.
On November 7, 2017, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, in collaboration with the Productivity Partnerships, issued a call for papers for the conference “Explaining Canada’s Post-2000 Productivity Performance” to be held in association with the annual meeting of the Canadian Economics Association, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec June 1-3, 2018. Details on the motivation for the conference, the issues on which papers are sought, and the submission procedures are found in the call for papers. The deadline for proposals is February 2, 2018.
On October 2, 2017 the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) released a report entitled "The Contribution of Aboriginal People to Future Labour Force Growth in Canada" by Don Drummond, Alexander Murray, Nicolas Mask and Andrew Sharpe. The report contributes to the debate on closing socio-economic gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by projecting the contribution of Aboriginal people to future labour force growth in Canada as a whole and by region under various scenarios over the 2011-2036 period. It finds that up to one fifth of future labour force growth in this country may come from the Aboriginal population.
A press release and an op-ed by Don Drummond and Andrew Sharpe are available for this report.
Articles from the Globe and Mail and the Winnipeg Free Press are also available for this report.
On August 31, 2017, the CSLS released a report entitled "The Human Development Index in Canada: Ranking the Provinces and Territories Internationally, 2000-2015: An Update." This report provides internationally comparable estimates of the Human Development Index (HDI) for the Canadian provinces and territories from 2000 to 2015. The report explores a wide variation in the quality of life enjoyed by Canadians. It shows that while residents of Alberta and Ontario enjoy a quality of life similar to that of Singapore or Denmark, residents of Nunavut face a quality of life similar to that of Latvia or Argentina. A press release is available for this report.
On August 30, 2017, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released a report entitled “What Explains the Post-2004 U.S. Productivity Slowdown.” The average annual rate of U.S. business sector labour productivity growth declined by 1.9 percentage points between the 1995-2004 period and the 2004-2015 period, from 3.2 per cent to 1.3 per cent. This report summarizes the state of knowledge on the causes of this development. Two thirds of the slowdown is accounted for by a decline in total factor productivity growth, while one third by a decline in the rate of capital deepening (i.e. growth of capital per hour worked). Three industries, collectively representing 28 per cent of business-sector hours worked in 2015, account for over 80 per cent of the aggregate labour productivity decline: manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade.
On July 18, 2017, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards released a report entitled “The Inclusion of Natural Resource Wealth in
the Index of Economic Well-Being: Results for OECD Countries, 1980-2013” The objective of the report is to present augmented estimates of the Index of Economic Well-being (IEWB) for 14 OECD countries for the 1980-2013 period. The new estimates account for the inclusion of an
internationally comparable measure of natural resource wealth which had been absent from
previous IEWB reports. It finds that in 2013 Norway had the highest level of economic wellbeing
and Spain the lowest. Despite being a resource rich country, Canada ranked eleventh among the fourteen countries for economic well-being.
On July 13, 2017 the CSLS released a study done for Global Affairs Canada entitled “The Effect of Import Competition on Employment in Canada: Evidence from the China Shock.” The federal government has called for a “progressive trade agenda” for Canada, an agenda which responses to the concerns of those harmed by the liberalization of international trade and ensures that trade contributes to broad-based prosperity for all Canadians. The objective of the report is to contribute to the development of such an agenda by measuring the impact on Canadian employment of a recent shock to Canada’s import supply. The report finds that the direct effect of rising Chinese import competition on Canadian manufacturing was a net loss of 105 thousand jobs over the 2001-2011 period, equivalent to 21 per cent of the actual observed decline in manufacturing employment. A press release is available for this issue.
An article of this report is part of the Trade Policy for Uncertain Times special feature of Policy Options magazine.
This report was mentioned in articles from The Globe and Mail, iPOLITICS and The Epoch Times.
Past CSLS Announcements and Releases
