Economic Pulse Analytics

06/16/2021

A growing population is important for maintaining quality of life in any society. More labour supply to meet workforce demand, greater consumption to fuel economic growth and ultimately more tax revenue to pay for important public services. What are the implications that CoVID-19 has had on population growth?

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/birthrates-declining-global-fertility-decline-empty-planet-covid-19-urbanization-migration-population?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social_scheduler&utm_term=Global+Health&utm_content=15/06/2021+14:45&fbclid=IwAR1KE0fD5RkNgHqeOrE1LJ-JqsV2NoCH_5rzx0HmEtkmS3t-QNs-YQtwpkk

The COVID-19 pandemic is seemingly driving birthrates down – but it's not the only thing behind the global fertility decline. Here's what's behind it and why it matters.

05/11/2021

Any attempts to prepare our communities for the future will have to have environmental and job creation impacts in mind. A new IFC Report called 'Ctrl-Alt-Del: A Green Reboot for Emerging Markets' hones in on three key areas of this: 1) Energy-efficient building retrofits, 2) Municipal waste and water management, and 3) Urban transportation. You can read more about it here:

A new IFC report analyzes how cities can allocate their resources to ensure a cleaner living environment for their residents, create jobs, and lay the foundation for a robust local economy.

03/23/2021

What local policies enacted during the CoVID-19 pandemic will become permanent instalments in your communities?

Reclaiming and repurposing public space (for alternative uses such as retail and dining) and developing equitable housing policies are two of the most prominent highlighted in an impressive new 'Local Action Tracker' monitored by the National League of Cities. Check it out in this Bloomberg City Lab article.

In America’s largest cities, new programs to boost public space and housing were among the most prevalent and enduring Covid responses.

03/15/2021

Real estate has always been an important avenue for economic development and wealth creation. But as values increase, it diverts important capital away from other productive uses such as R&D and investment in small businesses. Is Canada’s unrestrained housing market causing long term damage to its economy?

Interesting article about Canada’s unaffordable housing market in Bloomberg.

What happens when a so-called housing bubble just, never bursts?

03/11/2021

We previously posted about the top indicators that Economic Pulse is tracking to help make sense of the world in 2021. Here is a more detailed article we wrote explaining each.

VANCOUVER - There is no downplaying the turbulent year we have had. Even into 2021 the CoVID-19 pandemic continues to upend major aspects of our lives. While headlines are hailing the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, it will likely not be until the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022 that we b...

03/07/2021

CoVID-19 revealed many vulnerabilities and frailties in society, but one area that it saw significant progress was in circumnavigating some of the more rigid regulations in our communities. Pedestrianizing streets, sidewalk cafes and designated areas where one can responsibly consume alcohol all made our communities more vibrant. Looser regulations have given businesses and organizations more room to be creative.

03/03/2021

Should companies be compensating you for working remotely? Research suggests that remote workers pay higher household costs while companies have the potential to save significantly as a result of reduced office space. Read about the study in BloombergCityLab.

Remote workers spend more on rent and housing costs than those who stay in the office — a gap that might add up to $15 billion or more if commuters don’t return.

03/03/2021

Many companies have already begun putting 'Remote Working' Plans and Policies in place. This could potentially give rise to a new form of economic geography. What measures is your community putting in place to attract these remote workers? Affordability? Quality of life? More green space?

03/02/2021

What indicators are you following to help make sense of the world in 2021? Let us know in the comments and you can check out ours below!

03/01/2021

One can't help but wonder, what the long-term implications of CoVID-19 will be on our communities? One area that is particularly concerning is public transport. In many cities, public transport is not economically viable on its own and is often heavily subsidized by the local government. With decreased ridership during the pandemic and many likely to continue to work from home afterwards, how will the pandemic effect mobility in cities?

Here are 6 ways that CoVID-19 is impacting our changing our cities (WEF):

Authorities from Jakarta to Bogota have been creating more cycle lanes, and countries like South Korea have been turning disused offices into housing.

02/25/2021

Cities and towns are usually well staffed with Planners and Designers, but rarely do we find Economists on the payroll. Why is that?

Check out EPA's blog on Urban Economics to find out more about the tools of urban economic analysis and how they can aid administrations in deciding on what issues to prioritize and how to best allocate limited tax revenues.

VANCOUVER – When we think about cities and towns, grand images of the built environment conjure in our heads. This includes residential buildings to house the local population; commercial and retail space for offices, restaurants and shops; and iconic public assets such as hospitals, schools, stad...

02/25/2021

If you want to get to know us a little better, check out the blog post below.

Welcome to Economic Pulse Analytics! As Managing Partner and Chief Urban Economist, I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, and to explain to you why I decided to start an urban economics, demographics and market research consultancy. For the past 10+ years I have been working at the....