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Learn more about our research categoriesThis city is exploring an unconventional solution to water scarcity: sewage
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution Water Security
As climate change intensifies heat and drought and strains water supplies, cities are turning to interesting solutions. This NPR article spotlights how St. George, Utah—a fast-growing desert community—is investing over $1 billion in sewage recycling as a vital part of the district’s long-term water plan. This community, now home to …
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Could this city be the model for how to tackle the housing crisis and climate change?
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution Housing
Housing affordability and climate action are deeply interconnected, as demonstrated in this NPR article on Vienna’s ambitious approach. With over 40% of its residents living in social housing, the city is leveraging its 420,000 social housing units (city-owned or city-subsidized) to meet its goal of net-zero climate pollution by 2040. …
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‘Invisible poor’: Middle-income households making up to $125K annually getting squeezed out of the GTHA: report
Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Economic Development Finance
This CP24 article highlights CivicAction’s research on the deepening affordability crisis in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), where even working middle-class households making $40,000 to $125,000 annually are being priced out. These households, also known as the “invisible poor” due to their employment and perceived financial capabilities, are …
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The Rich Are Making an Unusual Bet on Disaster
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution Diversity, Inclusion & Equity
This Bloomberg video exposes a different side to capitalism using catastrophe bonds: financial instruments that allow investors to profit from climate disaster. Through examples like Jamaica’s struggle after Hurricane Beryl, the video reveals how wealthier nations, particularly the United States and Wall Street, are turning natural disasters into opportunities to …
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The distant dream of owning a home: Canada sees growing inequality in home ownership
Economic Development Housing
This article from The Conversation discusses the growing housing crisis in Canada, focusing on the decreasing housing affordability and home ownership rates. In Canada, the dream of homeownership is slipping further out of reach, revealing deepening inequalities across generations and income levels. While once a symbol of stability and success, …
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An expert on fighting poverty makes the case against a universal basic income
Economic Development Finance
In this Vox article, Robert Greenstein, the president and founder of Center on Budget Policy Priorities, provides a compelling argument against a universal basic income (UBI), contradicting its widespread support. Many supporters argue that a UBI is the key to solving poverty and inequality. However, Greenstein argues that while the …
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This article from the Next City introduces a developing framework that can help all levels of government measure the effectiveness of road infrastructure and prioritize pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure projects, in light of limited funding sources. Historically, road effectiveness was measured by the “level of service,” a car-centric metric that …
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