JDI Policy & Discussion Papers

The John Deutsch Institute for the Study of Economic Policy (JDI) works to build connections between academic researchers and policymakers. The JDI Policy Paper Series includes reports conducted by Queen’s economists on behalf of governments and institutions, research summaries and policy briefs written by faculty in an effort to inform policy decisions, and academic working papers that may be of relevance to policymakers and practitioners.

Queen’s faculty and JDI Research Fellows who would like to feature work in the paper series should submit the paper to Sharon Sullivan.

2025

Breaking Down Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers — Queen’s economists Christopher Cotton and Daniel Teeter explain Canada’s interprovincial trade barriers, their impact on the Canadian economy, and reforms and investments that can help address them. JDI Policy Paper 25-0301

Past Policy Papers

Student Experiences with COVID-19 in Canada — An NSERC One Society Network research team (N. Afodjo, C. Cotton, M. Jones, L. Scholle-Cotton) surveys the impact of COVID-19 on primary and secondary school students in Canada — JDI Policy Paper 23-0801 

Charting a Future for Emerging Infectious Disease Modelling in Canada — An NSERC Emerging Infectious Disease Modelling Network white paper providing guidance for continued cross-disciplinary collaboration and research on infectious disease modelling post pandemic. Authors include the leads of the NSERC EIDM networks, including Queen’s economist Christopher Cotton and mathematician Troy Day, as well as M. A. Lewis, P. Brown, C. Colijn, L. Cowen, R. Deardon, D. Earn, D. Haskell, J. Heffernan, P. Leighton, K. Murty, S. Otto, E. Raffertry, C. Houghes Tuohy, J. Wu, and H. Zhu. Created in partnership with the One Society Network.  JDI Policy Paper 23-0404

Traceability, value, and trust in the coffee market: A natural experiment in Ethiopia — Research working paper from a collaboration between Queen’s U, Eastern Mediterranean U, and Asian Development Bank researchers (L. Mbakop, G. Jenkins, L. Leung, and K. Sertoglu). How does the ability to trace the origins of a developing world product affect the demand for that product? — JDP Policy Paper 23-0403

Estimation of economic welfare gains from trade facilitation in the Andean Community — Research working paper by G. Jenkins and M. Nazif estimating the economic benefits from improved trade policies across several South American countries — JDP Policy Paper 23-0402

Prioritizing speed or accuracy in pre-construction project appraisal: An assessment of World Bank financed hydropower projects — A research working paper by G. Olasehinde-Williams and G. Jenkins based on research for the World Bank — JDI Policy Paper 23-0401

Handling risk and uncertainty in cost-benefit analysis: A practitioner’s guide —  Queen’s economist B. Kashi coauthored with E. Hyman the USAID guidelines for economic analysis — JDI Policy Paper 23-0101 

Assessment of the Guidelines for Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for USAID — Queen’s economists B. Kashi and F. Tremblay, with K. Schubert, Z. Kurzawa, K. Bagzibagli, and E. Hyman completed an assessment of economic analysis guidelines for USAID — JDI Policy Paper 22-1201

Cost-benefit analysis of the Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced climate and environmental resilience program — Queen’s economist B. Kashi with R. Bahn, S. Carello, B. Crowley, and Z. Robb completed an economic analysis of a climate change resilience program through Limestone Analytics for USAID — JDI Policy Paper 22-1102 

Can dialogues around girls’ education improve academic outcomes? Evidence from a randomized development project — A research working paper by C. Cotton, A. Nordsrom, J. Nanowski, and E. Richert building on an impact evaluation conducted on behalf of World Vision UK and the UK FCDO’s Girls’ Education Challenge in partnership with Limestone Analytics — JDI Policy Paper 22-1101

Rooftop solar with net metering: An integrated investment appraisal — An assessment of an Ontario green energy policy by Queen’s economists M. Hashemi, G. Jenkins, and F. Milne — JDI Policy Paper 22-1001

Measuring the impact of drought on education in developing countries by combining project data with satellite imagery — A research methodology summary by C. Cotton and A. Nordstrom for the Limestone Impact Blog 

Uber and the declining market price of licensed taxicabs — Research working paper by A. Garnham and D. Stacey applying asset theory pricing theories to study the impact of Uber in Toronto, Canada — JDI Policy Paper 22-0601

Should wages be subsidized in a pandemic? — Research working paper by Brant Abbott and Nam Phan — JDI Policy Paper 22-0501

Can interventions targeting community attitudes improve education for marginalized students? Evidence from a mixed-methods experimental design in Zimbabwe — PhD student A. Nordstrom’s research building on work conducted on behalf of World Vision UK and the UK FCDO’s Girls’ Education Challenge — JDI Policy Paper 21-1101 

Trade, poverty and food security: A survey of recent research and its implications for East Africa — A research working paper completed by Queen’s economists H. Lloyd-Ellis and A. Nordstrom building on a review conducted through Limestone Analytics for USAID — JDI Policy Paper 21-0602

Measuring the impact of drought on education by combining development project data with

The economic costs of a late-year lockdown: The importance of following through on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing –– COVID-19 policy brief by C. Cotton, B. Crowley, and H. Lloyd-Ellis for Limestone Analytics — JDI Policy Paper 21-0601 

Lessons Learned from Global Financial Crisis are a Model for Post-Pandemic Reforms — IRPP Policy Options article by QED economists D. Longworth and F. Milne — JDI Policy Paper 21-0501

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Demand for Density: Evidence from the U.S. Housing Market — Research working paper by S. Liu and Y. Su — JDI Policy Paper 21-0401

The Economic Costs of Delayed Policy and Delayed Vaccines in the Fight Against COVID-19 — policy brief by C. Cotton, B. Crowley, and H. Lloyd-Ellis for Limestone Analytics — JDI Policy Paper 21-0302

Optimizing COVID-19 Stimulus Spending in Malawi — Policy brief by B. Crowley and F. Tremblay for Limestone Analytics — JDI Policy Paper 21-0301

New Variants of COVID-19: What are the Economic Costs? — Policy brief by C. Cotton, B. Crowley, B. Kashi, H. Lloyd-Ellis, and F. Tremblay for Limestone Analytics — JDI Policy Paper 21-0201

Debt-Relief Programs and Money Left on the Table: Evidence from Canada’s Response to COVID-19 — Research working paper by J. Allen, R. Clark, S. Li and N. Vincent – JDI Policy Paper 21-0102

Modeling COVID-19 Policy Options: Will a Canadian Shield Lockdown Save Jobs in Ontario? — A policy brief by C. Cotton, B. Crowley, B. Kashi, H. Lloyd-Ellis, and F. Tremblay for Limestone Analytics on behalf of Global Canada Strategic Choices Group — JDI Policy Paper 21-0101

Building the Canadian Shield: A New Strategy to Protect Canadians from COVID and from the Fight Against COVID — white paper by the COVID Strategic Choices group through Global Canada. Authors include M. Agnew, T. Ayinde, A. Beaulieu, C. Colijn, C. Cotton, I. Dhalla, J. Ferbey, R. Greenhill, B. Haggart, B. House, R. Imgrund, J. Jebwab, J. Khangura, J. Kwong, C. McCabe, A. Morris, J.P.R. Soucy, and A. Tuite — JDI Policy Paper 20-1204

Renewing the social contract: Economic recovery in Canada from COVID-19: An RSC Policy Briefing — A white paper by the Royal Society of Canada working group on economic recovery. Authors include C. McCabe, V. Adamowicz, R. Boadway, D. Breznitz, C. Cotton, N. de Marcellis-Warin, S. Elgie, E. Forget, R. Gold, E. Jones, F. Lange, S. Peacock, and L. Tedds — JDI Policy Paper 20-1203

COVID-19 Planning for 2021: Comparing the Economic Impact of Alternative Recovery Scenarios, — Policy brief by C. Cotton, B. Crowley, B. Kashi, H. Lloyd-Ellis, and F. Tremblay for Limestone Analytics — JDI Policy Paper 20-1202

Emerging from Crisis: Applying Scenario Planning in Malawi — A report for the Malawi National Planning Commission conducted by Queen’s and Limestone Analytics economists including C. Brady, C. Cotton, B. Crowley, S. Davis, C. Farquharson, B. Kashi, H. Lloyd-Ellis, and F. Tremblay —  JDI Policy Paper 20-1201

Kingston Broadband Gap Analysis — A report for the City of Kingston and Utilities Kingston through Limestone Analytics including Queen’s faculty B. Kashi, W. Mabee, and H. Lloyd Ellis with B. Crowley, E. Kinakin, K. Gribbin, and N. McKegney —  JDI Policy Paper 20-0101