21793 research outputs found
Sort by
The effects of minimum wage increases on employment and average wages of affected workers in Canada
Get PDFThe employment effects of the minimum wage are debated among economists, with traditional competitive models suggesting potential job losses for low-wage workers, while alternative models like institutional and dynamic monopsony suggest potential positive impacts. The institutional model posits that raising the minimum wage could boost employment if wages are below the marginal product of labor, and the dynamic monopsony model suggests that higher minimum wages could reduce turnover costs in low-wage labor markets, mitigating predicted job losses. Empirical studies, even within the competitive model, show mixed results, with some indicating significant disemployment effects and others not. This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of minimum wage increases on employment and wages across Canada, utilizing a robust methodological framework including the bunching approach, event study analysis, and difference-in-difference methods to examine the effects of varying provincial minimum wages over time.
To accomplish this, I first employ the bunching approach to detect any concentration of wages just above the minimum wage threshold, providing insights into employer behavior in response to wage regulations. This technique identifies subtle adjustments in wage distribution that might not be apparent through other methods. Next, I utilize event study analysis to explore the immediate and long-term effects of minimum wage hikes, comparing employment and wage data from periods before and after the increases. This method captures both short-term disruptions and long-term adjustments in the labor market. Additionally, the difference-in-difference method is employed to compare outcomes between provinces with and without minimum wage increases, isolating the specific effects of these policies by controlling for other influencing variables. This approach underscores the importance of regional economic conditions in shaping the effectiveness of wage regulations.
The empirical analysis begins with Labor Force Survey data from Ontario, which experienced significant real minimum wage increases in January 2018. The study estimates the counterfactual frequency distribution of hourly wages in Ontario for three years before and two years after the minimum wage increase. The findings show a significant decrease in jobs paying below the new minimum wage and a proportional increase in jobs paying up to $4 above the real minimum wage, indicating no significant overall employment impact. Contrary to anticipated employment effects, the average wage of affected workers increased significantly by 22.7% over the two years following the minimum wage shock. The only exception in the Ontario study was for the teen group; contrary to much of the existing Canadian literature such as Fossati and Marchand (2024), I found a significant positive employment effect for teenagers. However, overall, I did not observe a significant negative employment effect for young adults.
Further analysis includes other provinces, such as Alberta, and cities such as Gatineau versus Ottawa, which also experienced substantial nominal and real minimum wage increases. The study applies the same methodology to assess the employment and wage effects, finding similar results to the Ontario study. Contrary to the Ontario study, in the Alberta study, I found a significant negative employment effect for the teen group, but overall, I did not find a significant negative employment effect for young adults. Since referring to a single minimum wage is inherently problematic, I also investigated a pooled analysis of hourly wage data from all Canadian provinces from 1999 to 2019. This analysis, covering 56 minimum wage increases, reveals no significant employment effect (-2%) over six months following minimum wage increases but a significant average wage increase (6.4%) for affected workers.
The study also investigates potential employment shifts from low-skilled to high-skilled workers, finding no indication of such shifts. Subgroup analyses by education level, age, and other demographics show approximately similar employment and wage effects, suggesting that the consequences of minimum wage policies are shared among different worker groups. Additionally, sectoral analyses show no negative employment effect in the food industry, aligning with Card and Krueger (1993)’s findings on the impact of minimum wage increases in the fast-food industry. However, a significant negative employment effect (-4%) was observed in the retail sector, highlighting the influence of local industry composition on minimum wage impacts.
Finally, in the Canada study (pooling all 56 minimum wage increase across all provinces), I assess the size of wage spillovers, finding that only 7% of the impact on average wages of affected workers comes from wage spillovers at the lower part of the wage distribution, which was statistically insignificant. This aligns with Canadian literature, such as Campolieti (2015), which found modest wage spillovers based on Canadian data compared to American data. Overall, this thesis provides robust evidence on the employment and wage effects of minimum wage increases in Canada. The findings suggest that, contrary to the traditional competitive model, minimum wage increases do not significantly reduce overall employment of low-wage workers and can lead to substantial wage gains for them. This has important implications for policymakers considering minimum wage adjustments to improve labor market outcomes for low-wage workers
Constitutionalizing the Rights of Nature: The Case of Canada's Old-Growth Forests in Comparative Perspective
Get PDFThis paper explores what the inclusion of constitutional environmental rights (CERs), specifically the rights of nature (RoN), could look like in Canada and their potential impact on the protection of endangered old-growth forests in British Columbia (BC). BC is home to some of the last remaining old-growth forests in Canada. While deemed essential by the province to the forestry industry, intact higher productivity old-growth forests hold significant cultural, social, and economic values, and play critical ecological functions on which BC’s biodiversity depends. Despite this, old-growth logging persists in the province, culminating in Canada’s largest act of civil disobedience: the Fairy Creek Blockades. Reflective of recurrent trends in BC’s forestry practices from Clayoquot Sound’s “War in the Woods,” this mobilization demands the need for stronger environmental regulations and oversight in Canada. Though CER provisions positively correlate with environmental outcomes, these rights hierarchize human property over nature’s right to exist, flourish, or be restored. I explore a potential avenue for protecting the rights of old-growth forests in BC: the stand-alone rights of nature in the Canadian Constitution. By examining rights of nature laws in Ecuador, Bolivia, and New Zealand, I will investigate what the constitutional RoN could look like in Canada. These rights might not only ensure the sustained protection of old-growth ecosystems in BC but incorporate Indigenous worldviews and legal orders into Canada’s dominant legal system.
Keywords: Rights of nature, constitutional environmental rights, old-growth forests, Indigenous legal orders, British Columbi
Advancing public transit efficiency with Graph Neural Networks and Reinforcement Learning: From flow prediction to dynamic ride-matching
Get PDFUsing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, this thesis illustrates how public transportation can be optimized in line with smart city visions. Deep learning models can be used to analyze complex datasets in order to predict demand, streamline operations, and adapt dynamically to real-time conditions. The research focuses on two key components: first, a Graph Neural Network (GNN) with probabilistic node embeddings is used to predict passenger flow in bus networks, improving accuracy and optimizing resource allocation. This method is validated using Automated Passenger Counting (APC) data from Laval, Quebec. The second component employs a Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithm to enhance ride-matching and vehicle routing in on-demand shared mobility services, particularly addressing the first-mile problem in suburban areas. Sensitivity analyses confirm the adaptability and effectiveness of both approaches, showcasing the potential of AI to improve transportation efficiency in diverse urban and suburban contexts
Tsi Nitionkwattehri:non (Where our Roots Came From): Intergenerational Healing Through Reconnection with Family Stories
No full textThis research explores the process of intergenerational healing through the reconnection with family stories, with a focus on working alongside my own family, particularly with my totà (grandparent). Using storywork as the primary methodology, the study involves methods such as conversations, place-based reconnection and reflective journaling. Conversational methods fostered a relational space for family members to share, exchange and co-create narratives, while place-based reconnection involved visiting significant ancestral lands to ground these stories in physical and cultural contexts. Reflective journaling offered a space for me to document my insights, analyze experiences and engage in self-reflection as part of my own healing journey.
The research delves into the impacts of colonial legacies, particularly residential and day schools, which have caused intergenerational trauma and cultural disconnections. Through a deeply personal lens, this research demonstrates that reconnecting with family stories honors past generations and empowers current and future ones to engage in cultural continuity, to strengthen familial bonds and to heal from intergenerational trauma. This research highlights how stories bridge the past, present and future, providing both individual and collective pathways toward resilience and identity strengthening, while also being guided by and grounded in relational principles. Throughout I draw on Kanien’kehá notions of karihwakwenienstáhtshera (respect), iaoterihwaienni (responsibility), tetewatatawíhon (reciprocity), iorihowá:nen ne onkwaio'ténhsera (reverence), tewake'nikonhrahsa'áhton (holism), ska'nikonra (synergy) and interrelatedness to reflect upon my family’s story
Sleep, Ageing, and Alzheimer’s Disease: From Neural Mechanisms To Exercise Interventions.
Get PDFThis manuscript-based thesis explores the relationships between sleep and sleep physiology during non-rapid eye-movement (NREM) sleep stages 2 and 3, brain-health, and cognition in older adults and persons with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It provides new insights into the associations between sleep, biomarkers of neurodegeneration, and cognition in older adults. It also provides new evidence demonstrating that spindle and slow oscillation activity during NREM sleep constitute predictive and non-invasive biomarkers of neurodegeneration, cognition, and mental health in persons with AD. Sleep microarchitecture can, therefore, also provide novel therapeutic targets for preserving brain-heath and slowing AD progression. These findings extend previous evidence showing that sleep may be one of the most important modifiable risk factors for functional and cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. The thesis then explores how exercise, a promising and widely accessible intervention targeting sleep physiology, can be an effective intervention for poor sleep in healthy older adults and persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment and AD. The implications of this thesis’ findings for clinical care of persons with AD, preserving brain-health and cognition in older adults, and sleep research are discussed. Our findings can serve as a springboard for future research on sleep-based strategies to preserve brain health in older adults and delay the progression of AD symptoms, with considerable potential benefits for persons with AD, their caregivers, and communities
Multilevel Assessment of The Role of Moisture and Temperature in ASR-Induced Expansion and Deterioration
Get PDFAlkali silica reaction (ASR) is a widely known deterioration mechanism in concrete; sufficient moisture and temperature are crucial for initiating and sustaining the reaction. The influence of these factors on ASR-induced expansion has been previously studied. However, little is known about their influence on ASR-induced damage. This work aims to apply a multi-level assessment protocol combining microscopic and mechanical properties tools to evaluate the impact of a wide range of moisture conditions and temperatures on ASR-induced expansion and deterioration. Concrete specimens were manufactured in the laboratory incorporating aggregates displaying different levels of reactivity (i.e., moderate, high, and very-high) and containing two alkali loadings (i.e., 3.82kg/m³ and 5.25kg/m³ Na2Oeq by mass of cement). The specimens were conditioned at five relativity humidities (i.e., 100%, 90%, 82%, 75%, and 62%) and three temperatures (i.e., 21°C, 38°C, and 60°C) and monitored for internal and external moisture, and ASR expansion over time. A time-based assessment was conducted, and upon reaching pre-defined ages (i.e., 3, 6, and 12 months), the Damage Rating Index (DRI), Stiffness Damage Test (SDT), Direct Shear, and compressive strength tests were conducted to appraise ASR-induced deterioration in the specimens. The results show that moisture inside concrete is typically around 90% RH from batching, which enables rapid ASR-induced expansion. However, lower external moisture reduces internal moisture and may induce shrinkage cracks that influence the overall damage pattern. Moreover, at elevated temperatures, ASR-induced cracks exhibit greater density but shorter length and narrower width compared to lower temperatures despite similar expansion levels. These conditions influence the microscopic and mechanical properties of ASR-affected concrete, with the DRI and SDT outcomes presenting a strong correlation to expansion. Through the multi-level assessment protocol, this study establishes that the moisture threshold required to trigger ASR is temperature- and aggregate-dependent. While the 80% RH has been widely used in the past, the findings of this study suggest that a lower range (62-75% RH) might be required for high temperatures and reactivity of the aggregates. A novel damage classification table that accounts for a wider range of exposure conditions is thus proposed, offering a more comprehensive tool for the condition assessment of ASR-affected concrete
Xiezhi: Toward Succinct Proofs of Solvency
Get PDFA proof of solvency (or proof of reserves) is a zero-knowledge proof conducted by centralized cryptocurrency exchange to offer evidence that the exchange owns enough cryptocurrency to settle each of its users' balances. The proof seeks to reveal nothing about the finances of the exchange or its users, only the fact that it is solvent. The literature has already started to explore how to make proof size and verifier time independent of the number of (i) users on the exchange, and (ii) addresses used by the exchange. We argue there are a few areas of improvement. First, we propose and implement a full end-to-end argument that is fast for the exchange to prove (minutes), small in size (KBs), and fast to verify (seconds). Second, we deal with the natural conflict between Bitcoin and Ethereum's cryptographic setting (secp256k1) and more ideal settings for succinctness (e.g., pairing-based cryptography) with a novel mapping approach. Finally, we discuss how to adapt the protocol to the concrete parameters of bls12-381 (which is relevant because the bit-decomposition of all user balances will exceed the largest root of unity of the curve for even moderately-sized exchanges)
Assessment of Mobility Trends and Transportation-related Emissions in Canadian Cities during the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Period
Get PDFThere were some new characteristics of urban transportation in the later stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the transportation-related emissions in major cities of Canada during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, with a focus on evolving transportation behaviors and environmental effects. The analysis was based on data collected from various provinces in Canada, encompassing greenhouse gases (GHGs), traffic volume, fuel consumption by vehicles and airlines, and air quality. The aviation sector nearly reverted to pre-pandemic levels by 2022, with significant rebounding of kerosene-type jet fuel consumption. Emission analysis from September 2020 to December 2022 showed the changes in NO2, CO, SO2, PM2.5, and O3 levels. Key observations include a gradual return to pre-pandemic emission levels. For instance, the average NO2 levels in Vancouver showed variations from 14.2 ppb in 2020 to 15.4 ppb in 2022, while average CO levels fluctuated between 0.18 ppm in 2020 and 0.22 ppm in 2022. These changes are attributed to multiple factors, including the pandemic, fuel price hikes, increased electric vehicle usage, and altered commuting patterns. The results can help further explore the mobility and emissions patterns impacted by human activities, which have implications with respect to improving air quality and reducing GHG emissions in urban areas
Diversity on Wheels: Retaining Canada’s Immigrant, Young, and Women Truck Drivers
Get PDFTransporting goods across Canada’s vast landmass on a daily basis, trucks can be seen as carriers of the country’s prosperity. In the meantime, like many countries across the globe, Canada is currently suffering from a concerning truck driver shortage. Given Canada’s reliance on trucks, addressing this shortage is crucial. My qualitative study explores factors that affect the retention of immigrant, young, and women drivers, who are currently underrepresented as truck drivers, yet who will likely become the backbone of Canada’s trucking industry in light of its changing demographics. Based on the Job Demands-Resources Model, my study investigates the job demands that deter these drivers from staying in the industry and the job resources that encourage them to stay. Key findings highlight job demands including driving related working conditions, perceived discrimination, and exploitation that are critical to address, along with important job resources of financial and non-financial nature that need to be further encouraged to help reduce Canada’s truck driver shortage. My study provides practical recommendations to three levels of stakeholders – government agencies, industrial leaders, and the general public
Flexural and Serviceability Behaviour of Steel-GFRP Hybrid Reinforced Concrete Beams and One-way Slabs
No full textA steel-glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) hybrid reinforced concrete (RC) section would benefit from the superior advantages of steel at serviceability limit states, particular advantages of GFRP at ultimate limit states, and ductility provided by steel reinforcement. Replacing some steel rebars with GFRP bars can reduce the construction costs of the project by lowering the material and labour costs. Moreover, replacing some steel rebars exposed to harsh environmental conditions, such as corners, with GFRP bars can increase the service life of the element. This thesis investigates the serviceability and flexural behaviour of steel-GFRP hybrid RC flexural members through analytical investigations and experimental studies. It also provides design recommendations for designing hybrid RC flexural members and assesses the design equations of deflection, crack width, yielding and ultimate moment capacity in North American standards and guidelines.
This research started with analytical investigations to set a platform for designing steel GFRP hybrid RC sections. Practical design charts were developed for the proposed design recommendation based on the fundamentals of section analysis. An extensive parametric study was undertaken to transform steel RC sections into alternative steel-GFRP hybrid RC sections with the same total number of bars. The study then experimentally investigated the flexural and serviceability behaviour of steel-GFRP hybrid RC beams and one-way slabs through testing and analyzing 15 RC beams and eight RC one-way slabs. The experimental results were analyzed and compared in terms of the first cracking moment and yielding moment, failure modes, flexural capacity, concrete and rebar strain, mid-span deflection, crack width, and ductility. Based on the cracked section analysis, new equations were proposed to estimate the rebar strain and maximum mid-span deflection for the post-yielding stage in the hybrid RC beams. The experimental results were also used to assess the bond-dependant coefficient, kb of the steel, GFRP, and hybrid RC beams and one-way slabs