IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/qed/wpaper/1133.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Economic Opportunity Cost Of Capital For Canada - An Empirical Update

Author

Listed:
  • Chun-Yan Kuo

    (Queen's University, Canada)

  • Glenn Jenkins

Abstract

The social or economic discount rate is the threshold rate used to calculate the net present value of an investment project, a program or a regulatory intervention to see whether the proposed expenditures are economically worthwhile to undertake. The size of the economic rate of discount has been a policy issue in Canada for many years. The debate has been primarily concerned with the empirical measurement of the economic opportunity cost of funds. The purpose of this paper is to reexamine and update the empirical estimation of what is the appropriate economic discount rate for Canada. The results suggest that estimates of the economic discount rate can range from 7.78 percent to 8.39 percent real. As a consequence, we conclude that for Canada an 8 percent real rate is an appropriate discount rate to use when calculating the economic net present value of the flows of economic benefits and costs over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Chun-Yan Kuo & Glenn Jenkins, 2007. "The Economic Opportunity Cost Of Capital For Canada - An Empirical Update," Working Paper 1133, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    • Handle: RePEc:qed:wpaper:1133
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econ.queensu.ca/sites/econ.queensu.ca/files/qed_wp_1133.pdf
    File Function: First version 2007
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:bla:econom:v:38:y:1971:i:152:p:395-412 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Arnold C. Harberger, 1972. "On Measuring the Social Opportunity Cost of Public Funds," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Project Evaluation, chapter 0, pages 94-122, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Glenn Jenkins & JOHN EVANS, 1980. "The Cost Of U.S. Direct Foreign Investment," Development Discussion Papers 1980-01, JDI Executive Programs.
    4. Chun‐Yan Kuo & Glenn P. Jenkins & M. Benjamin Mphahlele, 2003. "The Economic Opportunity Cost Of Capital In South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 71(3), pages 523-543, September.
    5. Harberger, Arnold C & Wisecarver, Daniel L, 1977. "Private and Social Rates of Return to Capital in Uruguay," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 25(3), pages 411-445, April.
    6. Boskin, Michael J, 1978. "Taxation, Saving, and the Rate of Interest," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 86(2), pages 3-27, April.
    7. Glenn P. Jenkins, 1981. "The Public-Sector Discount Rate for Canada: Some Further Observations," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 7(3), pages 399-407, Summer.
    8. Sjaastad, Larry A & Wisecarver, Daniel L, 1977. "The Social Cost of Public Finance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 85(3), pages 513-547, June.
    9. Danny M. Leipziger, 1974. "Capital Movements and Economic Policy: Canada Under a Flexible Rate," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 7(1), pages 59-74, February.
    10. David Burgess, 2008. "Removing Some Dissonance From the Social Discount Rate Debate," University of Western Ontario, Economic Policy Research Institute Working Papers 20082, University of Western Ontario, Economic Policy Research Institute.
    11. SANDMO, Agnar & DREZE, Jacques H., 1971. "Discount rates for public investment in closed and open economies," LIDAM Reprints CORE 98, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    12. David F. Burgess, 1981. "The Social Discount Rate for Canada: Theory and Evidence," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 7(3), pages 383-394, Summer.
    13. Glenn Jenkins, 1973. "The Measurement Of Rates Of Return And Taxation From Private Capital In Canada," Development Discussion Papers 1973-02, JDI Executive Programs.
    14. Michael J. Boskin, 1978. "Taxation, Saving, and the Rate of Interest," NBER Chapters, in: Research in Taxation, pages 3-27, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Coppola, Andrea & Fernholz, Fernando & Glenday, Graham, 2014. "Estimating the economic opportunity cost of capital for public investment projects : an empirical analysis of the Mexican case," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6816, The World Bank.
    2. David F. Burgess & Richard O. Zerbe, 2013. "Appropriate discounting for benefit–cost analysis," Chapters, in: Scott O. Farrow & Richard Zerbe, Jr. (ed.), Principles and Standards for Benefit–Cost Analysis, chapter 7, pages 247-263, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Hashemi, Majid & Jenkins, Glenn & Milne, Frank, 2024. "Renewable Energy Support Through Feed-in Tariffs: A Retrospective Stakeholder Analysis," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(2), pages 276-301, July.
    4. Alan C. O'Connor & Albert N. Link & Brandon M. Downs & Laura M. Hillier, 2015. "The impact of public investment in medical imaging technology: an interagency collaboration in evaluation," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5), pages 510-531, July.
    5. John Lester, 2018. "Business Subsidies in Canada: Comprehensive Estimates for the Government of Canada and the Four Largest Provinces," SPP Research Papers, The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, vol. 11(1), January.
    6. Stephanie MacLeod & Yves Filion, 2012. "Issues and Implications of Carbon-Abatement Discounting and Pricing for Drinking Water System Design in Canada," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(1), pages 43-61, January.
    7. Branker, K. & Pearce, J.M., 2010. "Financial return for government support of large-scale thin-film solar photovoltaic manufacturing in Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 4291-4303, August.
    8. Hashemi, Majid & Jenkins, Glenn & Milne, Frank, 2023. "Rooftop solar with net metering: An integrated investment appraisal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    9. Ferede, Ergete & Dahlby, Bev, 2012. "The Impact of Tax Cuts on Economic Growth: Evidence From the Canadian Provinces," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 65(3), pages 563-594, September.
    10. Abdallah Othman & Glenn P. Jenkins & Mikhail Miklyaev, 2022. "Estimation of Economic Opportunity Cost of Capital: An Operational Guide for Mozambique," Development Discussion Papers 2022-04, JDI Executive Programs.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Glenn Jenkins & Chun-Yan Kuo & Arnold C. Harberger, 2011. "Cost-Benefit Analysis for Investment Decisions: Chapter 8 (The Economic Opportunity Cost of Capital)," Development Discussion Papers 2011-08, JDI Executive Programs.
    2. Glenn Jenkins & CHUN-YAN KUO & JOHN GIRALDEZ, 2007. "Canadian Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis Guide," Development Discussion Papers 2007-03, JDI Executive Programs.
    3. Chun-Yan Kuo & Sener Salci & Glenn P. Jenkins, 2015. "Measuring the Foreign Exchange Premium and the Premium for Non-Tradable Outlays for 20 Countries in Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 83(2), pages 269-285, June.
    4. Glenn P. Jenkins & Chun-Yan Kuo & Sener Salci, 2013. "Measuring The Foreign Exchange Premium And The Premium For Non-Tradable Outlays For Twenty Countries In Africa," Development Discussion Papers 2013-05, JDI Executive Programs.
    5. Glenn P. Jenkins, 1981. "The Public-Sector Discount Rate for Canada: Some Further Observations," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 7(3), pages 399-407, Summer.
    6. Li, Qingran & Pizer, William A., 2021. "Use of the consumption discount rate for public policy over the distant future," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    7. Chun-Yan Kuo & Steven Clark, 1991. "An Evaluation of the Exploration Tax Credit," Development Discussion Papers 1991-14, JDI Executive Programs.
    8. Chun‐Yan Kuo & Glenn P. Jenkins & M. Benjamin Mphahlele, 2003. "The Economic Opportunity Cost Of Capital In South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 71(3), pages 523-543, September.
    9. Kevin Rennert & Brian C. Prest & William A. Pizer & Richard G. Newell & David Anthoff & Cora Kingdon & Lisa Rennels & Roger Cooke & Adrian E. Raftery & Hana Sevcikova & Frank Errickson, 2021. "The Social Cost of Carbon: Advances in Long-Term Probabilistic Projections of Population, GDP, Emissions, and Discount Rates," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 52(2 (Fall)), pages 223-305.
    10. Peter S. Spiro, 1984. "Exchange Rate Risk and the Cost of Foreign Capital," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 10(1), pages 54-63, March.
    11. Abdallah Othman & Glenn P. Jenkins & Mikhail Miklyaev, 2022. "Estimation of Economic Opportunity Cost of Capital: An Operational Guide for Mozambique," Development Discussion Papers 2022-04, JDI Executive Programs.
    12. Rosen, Harvey S, 1982. "Taxation and On-the-Job Training Decisions," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 64(3), pages 442-449, August.
    13. Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti & Nouriel Roubini, 1995. "Growth Effects of Income and Consumption Taxes: Positive and Normative Analysis," Working Papers 95-18, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    14. Burgess, David F., 2013. "Reconciling alternative views about the appropriate social discount rate," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 9-17.
    15. Lawrence B. Lindsey, 1985. "Taxpayer Behavior and the Distribution of the 1982 Tax Cut," NBER Working Papers 1760, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Austin, D. Andrew, 1999. "Social Security as an Economic Stabilization Program," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 309-333, April.
    17. Ronald G. Wirick, 1982. "Prospects for the World Petroleum Market and Implications for Canadian Policy," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 8(4), pages 534-553, Autumn.
    18. Fischer, Marcel & Jensen, Bjarne Astrup, 2017. "The debt tax shield, economic growth and inequality," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 219, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    19. Don Fullerton & Yolanda Kodrzycki Henderson, 1987. "The Impact of Fundamental Tax Reform on the Allocation of Resources," NBER Chapters, in: The Effects of Taxation on Capital Accumulation, pages 401-444, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. repec:osf:osfxxx:7jpa9_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Beverly, Sondra G. & Sherraden, Michael, 1999. "Institutional determinants of saving: implications for low-income households and public policy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 457-473.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    discount rates; opportunity cost; project evaluation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:qed:wpaper:1133. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Mark Babcock (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/qedquca.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.