Avi Lewis’ rent control plan
I’ve just written a ‘top 10′ overview of Avi Lewis’ plan to impose federal rent control. Here’s the link to the post:
Read morePEF’s 2026 Summer School: May 28, Vancouver
Join several of Canada’s leading heterodox and progressive economists for an introduction to theories, tools, and policy applications that go beyond the bounds of conventional free-market economics. This one-day course immediately precedes the annual meetings of the Canadian Economics Association in Vancouver. Thursday May 28, 9:30am – 4:30pm Simon Fraser University Downtown Campus (515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver) Free Registration! […]
Read moreStudy tour: Amsterdam/Rotterdam (Feb 2027)
I’m planning an affordable housing and homelessness study tour of Amsterdam and Rotterdam for February 2027. More info is available here: https://nickfalvo.ca/study-tours-2/
Read moreDoes Housing First literally save money?
Housing First refers to the provision of deeply subsidized permanent housing, combined with social work support, to a person who has experienced long-term homelessness. It’s often claimed that this approach literally saves money. But is that claim valid? I break it down here: https://nickfalvo.ca/does-housing-first-literally-save-money/
Read moreClassifying Heterodox Economics (guest post from Marc Lavoie)
This is a guest post from Prof. Marc Lavoie, emeritus professor of economics at the University of Ottawa and winner of the 2025 Galbraith Prize from the Progressive Economics Forum for his lifetime contributions to heterodox theory and practice in Canada and around the world. Prof. Lavoie was recently invited by SSHRC to provide input to a restructuring of the […]
Read moreHomelessness among 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals
Chapter 11 of my open access textbook has just been released. This chapter focuses on homelessness experienced by 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. A ‘top 10’ summary of the new chapter can be found here: https://nickfalvo.ca/homelessness-among-2slgbtqia-individuals/ All material related to the book can be found here (free of charge): https://nickfalvo.ca/book/
Read moreNew podcast episode
I was recently a guest on the On the Way Home podcast. We discussed: the importance of researchers working collaboratively with practitioners; insufficient federal funding for homelessness across Canada; and the importance of operating funding for affordable housing. People can watch or listen to the episode here:
Read moreSave the date: Amsterdam/Rotterdam (Feb 2027)
How Canada’s National Housing Strategy missed the mark on homelessness
I recently did a podcast on Canada’s National Housing Strategy—specifically on how the Strategy missed the mark on homelessness. Here’s the link (it’s 40 min’s long): https://thepublicationcoop.substack.com/p/canadas-so-called-homelessness-strategy
Read moreHomelessness in Finland
I recently organized a study tour of Helsinki; its focus was affordable housing and homelessness. Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview: https://nickfalvo.ca/affordable-housing-and-homelessness-in-helsinki-finland/
Read moreSupportive housing in Ottawa
I recently served as a subject matter expert for an audit of supportive housing undertaken by the City of Ottawa’s Office of the Auditor General. Here are 10 things know:
Read moreHomelessness and supportive housing in Alberta
I recently organized a homelessness study tour of Edmonton and Calgary for the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness. Here’s a ‘top 10 overview of the study tour:https://nickfalvo.ca/homelessness-and-supportive-housing-in-alberta/
Read moreMore Nonsensical Canada-Ireland Comparisons
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre recently circulated a post on several social media platforms claiming that Canada’s manufacturing industry has atrophied under excessive regulation and high energy prices to an extent “unmatched across the industrialized world.” It purported to show that Canada’s manufacturing sector is now smaller than Ireland’s—a country with one-eighth of Canada’s population. This, he argued, is due to […]
Read moreLatest Data Confirms U.S.-Canada Trade is Uniquely Balanced
Just in time for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s meeting with Donald Trump in Washington, the U.S. Census Bureau has released year-end 2024 data on America’s bilateral trade flows in goods and services. This data reconfirms that the U.S trade deficit is neither new, nor an “emergency” (as Trump has claimed in order to invoke special emergency powers to set tariffs). […]
Read moreThe intersection of housing and homelessness
I recently delivered a full-day in-person workshop at CHRA’s National Congress on Housing and Homelessness, held in Saskatoon. The workshop was titled “The intersection of housing and homelessness.” All course material is now available here (free of charge):https://nickfalvo.ca/courses/
Read moreThe Liberal Housing Plan
Canadians will vote in a general election on April 28. Here’s my ‘top 7’ overview of the Liberal Housing Plan: https://nickfalvo.ca/the-liberal-housing-plan/.
Read moreCommunity-level homelessness planning in Alberta
Yesterday I gave a keynote address at a University of Alberta event. Here’s a link to the blog post that summarizes my remarks:https://nickfalvo.ca/what-lies-ahead-for-community-level-homelessness-planning-in-alberta/
Read moreYes, Virginia, Supermarket Profits are Still a Thing
Canada’s federal election has focused quite appropriately on the existential economic and sovereignty threat posed by Donald Trump. But there are other issues on voters’ minds, too, and continued concerns with ‘affordability’ rank high on that list. Incidentally, on that point the Centre for Future Work’s recent report, Counting the Costs: Impacts of the 2022 Oil Price Shock for Canadian […]
Read moreSubsidized housing for francophone seniors in minority situations
I recently co-authored a report on the need for more rental housing for francophone seniors in minority situations. Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview of the report: https://nickfalvo.ca/subsidized-housing-for-francophone-seniors-in-minority-situations/
Read moreHomelessness among older persons
I’ve just published Chapter 10 of my open access textbook. This chapter focuses on homelessness experienced by older adults. A ‘top 10’ overview of the chapter can be found here: https://nickfalvo.ca/homelessness-among-older-adults/
Read moreThe economic policy legacy of the Justin Trudeau Liberal Government, 2015 to 2024
I confess: I was disappointed when the Justin Trudeau Liberals won the fall 2015 election. I was hoping for an orange break-through. So, it comes with some irony that I find myself defending the economic policy legacy of the Justin Trudeau Liberal government nine years hence. The acute drama that unfolded in December with the Finance Minister’s resignation ahead of […]
Read moreInterrogating the ‘Vibecession’
There are encouraging signs that Canada’s economy and labour market are improving after a period of stagnation brought about by the Bank of Canada’s aggressive interest rate hikes in 2022 and 2023. Newly released data for the third quarter of 2024 (July-September) shows the economy has continued to grow, albeit slowly. Consumer spending was the brightest light in the third […]
Read moreHomelessness planning during COVID
I’ve written a book chapter on the COVID-19 pandemic and homelessness planning in Canada. Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview:https://nickfalvo.ca/covid-19-and-homelessness-planning-in-canada/
Read moreDemand-side housing assistance
Eric Latimer and I recently wrote a report for the Province of Québec about demand-side housing assistance for low-income households. A ‘top 10’ overview of the report can be found here: https://nickfalvo.ca/demand-side-housing-assistance-for-low-income-households-in-quebec/
Read moreHomelessness 101
I recently delivered my Homelessness 101 workshop in both English and French. All course material is available free of charge at this link: https://nickfalvo.ca/courses/
Read moreEconomic and social factors associated with the use of homeless shelters
Ali Jadidzadeh and I recently undertook some statistical analysis on behalf of Infrastructure Canada (Canada’s lead federal government agency on homelessness). Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview of our analysis: https://nickfalvo.ca/economic-and-social-factors-associated-with-the-use-of-homeless-shelters/
Read moreReport finds insufficient daytime options for people experiencing homelessness
I’m the lead author of a recent report, commissioned by Vibrant Communities Calgary, looking at factors associated with social disorder on public transit (including social disorder involving people experiencing homelessness). Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview of the report: https://nickfalvo.ca/report-finds-insufficient-daytime-options-for-people-experiencing-homelessness/
Read moreYouth homelessness
I’ve just released Chapter 9 of my open access textbook. This chapter focuses on youth homelessness. A ‘top 10’ overview of the chapter can be found here: https://nickfalvo.ca/youth-homelessness/
Read moreWhat are Corporations Doing With Lender & Investor Funds?
In a previous post, I analyzed what Canadian corporations are doing with their profits. I described how across almost every sector of the economy, corporations are distributing more of their profits to owners than they are investing. In this brief post, I’m going to describe what Canadian corporations are doing with funds acquired through issuance of debt and equity securities. […]
Read moreComparing municipal spending on housing and homelessness in Canada’s major cities
I recently led a research study comparing spending by large Canadian municipalities on homeless-related services and affordable housing. Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview of the study:https://nickfalvo.ca/comparating-municipal-spending-on-housing-and-homelessness-in-canadas-major-cities/
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