Search

Residential reconversion can foster density and change the structure of neighborhoods. It also upsets current residents when it affects or obstructs their original panorama. Many nearby homeowners argue that new construction of visually imposing residential buildings negatively affects the value of their house. The aim of this paper is to test such a presumption by investigating whether single-family houses' prices are affected (or not) by being close to reconversions. The analysis is based on an exhaustive data set of residential reconversions that were recorded between 2006 and 2016 and is combined with a database of single-family transactions sold in Quebec City between 2004 and 2017. The results suggest that residential reconversions lead to a mean net price premium of about 2.48%. This effect, however, varies according to the type of residential reconversion as well as to the density of the reconversions. Results show no negative significant effects, which suggests that the reduction in house prices expected by residents, i.e., sellers, is largely compensated for by buyers' attraction, as expressed by market equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the spatial evolution of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Canada to investigate the path dependence process of corporate control geography. The analysis is based on network analysis and quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) regression models for transactions of more than C$5 million between 1994 and 2016. The results indicate that the geography of economic decision-making is highly path-dependent, and that Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary are the main destinations of M&As. However, Winnipeg and Guelph have emerged as new power centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes to develop a two-step model based on administrative (spatial) micro-data to identify the determinants that makes residential transactions resulting in demolition and reconversion. A logistic model is estimated and serves as a major input to build land use maps to identify where such pattern is more likely to occur in future. The empirical analysis is based on a medium city size (Québec City, Canada) using the yearly tax assessment roll spanning a decade (2006–2016). Results support conclusions from previous studies regarding determinants of demolition, with smaller and older homes having a higher probability of facing such a situation. The results also underline the relative importance of local environment and location as a factor that also influences the probability of facing a demolition. The predictive exercise suggests that future reconversion through demolition should occur around concentrated spots within the city. The paper aims at furnishing tools to planners to localize where potential teardowns should occur over space and allows them to anticipate appropriate politics instead of reacting to a given situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the relationship between urban size and urban growth: An analysis of 135 Canadian urban areas between 1971 and 2011 Using an econometric urban growth model, the analysis seeks to identify the determinants of growth for 135 Canadian urban areas over a 40-year period (1971-2011). Models are estimated for the whole period and for two sub-periods. The dependent variable (urban growth) is defined in two distinct ways: more traditionally, as percentage population changes, and as rank changes (ordinal growth). Comparing results with different dependent variables brings out the indirect role of (initial) urban size as a determinant of growth. On the one hand, the results confirm the absence of a direct relationship between initial size and growth, in line with other studies. On the other hand, results with alternative dependent variables (rank changes or weighted observations) point to a positive size effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on location theories to statistically identify the relationship between the location of individual business establishments and the characterization of their local economic environment. Taking a microspatial perspective, the paper develops indicators from distance-based measures (DBM) to serve as independent variables in a discrete choice model (DCM). Using a 2006 database of individual business establishments in the Lower-St-Lawrence region--a coherent, nonmetropolitan subsystem of cities in the province of Québec, Canada-- we provide an empirical analysis of the determinants of individual establishments' location decisions in relation to their main economic activity within a random utility model (RUM) framework. The results show that distance to nearby centers, co-location (specialization), and the size of establishments are statistically related to location decisions. However, unlike previous studies, it is also found that discrete location choices of business establishments in service industries are not necessarily influenced by economic diversity or co-location, whereas manufacturing firms' location decisions are not impacted by distance to markets. All told, we believe the results provide further evidence of the importance of scale in the study of business location decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Studies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking at 135 Canadian urban areas over a 35-year period (1971-2006), the paper examines the relationship between initial specialisation (using employment) in resource industries and various growth indicators via a mix of descriptive statistics and econometric modelling. The paper differentiates between two resources sectors: resource extraction (mining, logging, etc.); primary resource transformation (paper mills, foundries, smelters, etc.). The evidence for a 'resource curse' is mixed. Resource transformation industries are found to be associated with slower population growth, also depressing growth in college-educated cohorts. However, no such relationship is found for resource extraction. We find no evidence for a durable Dutch Disease wage effect. Wages fluctuate in response to resource demand as do working-age populations. Many relationships hold only for the short run. In the end, we argue, the impact of resource specialisation depends on the particular resource and type of industry it spawns, as well as location. There is no generalisable resource curse, valid for all resources and all places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] This paper aims at estimating the effect of implementing a commuter train service. [•] A difference-in-differences estimator is proposed to capture the proximity effect. [•] The overall market premium on mean house price is estimated to be 2.6%. [•] The premium generate a yearly fiscal increase of revenue of 11 million dollars. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

BACKGROUND: Many studies on factors that can affect the frequency of blood donation have shown the influence of several individual characteristics. However, few studies have analyzed regional variations in blood donation frequency. The objective of this article is to verify to what extent individual and geographic variables influence blood donation in the Province of Québec, Canada. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This article used a database provided by Héma-Québec (the organization in charge of blood collection in Québec), which included 426,247 donors, who made 1.4 million donations over a period of 5 years. Using the donors' residential postal codes and those of the blood collection sites, we created two geographic variables: the distance between the donor's place of residence and his or her collection site and each donor's region of residence. We subsequently modeled the frequency of blood donation and the different donor categories (based on the number of blood donations) using both a negative binomial regression model and an ordinal logistic regression model . RESULTS: The results indicate that, once the individual characteristics have been taken into account, the geographic variables, including proximity to the collection site, have a significant impact on the frequency of blood donation. Likewise, according to the results of the negative binomial model, among the 17 regions in the Province of Québec, there are five regions where blood donation incidence rate ratios (IRRs) are very high, that is, Abitibi-Témiscamingue (IRR, 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61-1.95); Bas-Saint-Laurent (IRR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.59-1.93); Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (IRR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.53-1.84); Centre-du-Québec (IRR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.51-1.83); and Chaudière-Appalaches (IRR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.48-1.78). CONCLUSION: Such knowledge of the geography of blood donations makes it possible to better target certain regions when planning new blood drives, to ensure a constant blood supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper aims at estimating the economic impact of a supply change in the bus transit service in a Canadian city of medium size. By using a quasi-experiment approach and a difference-in-differences (DID) estimator, it evaluates the impact of the introduction of a rapid bus transit (RBT) in Quebec City (Canada) through a spatio-temporal analysis of house price variations. The hedonic price model shows that the new service generates an increase in house price ranging from 6.9% to 2.9%, for those properties located close to the service corridor where the population is quite dense and where the service was offered initially. Using sales transaction data and municipal assessment records from 1997, the effect on price is translated into an economic impact for the whole region. The paper shows that the improvement in public transit supply generates, for Quebec City, a significant fiscal impact estimated to $6M and a plus-value for properties owners close to $35M over 12years. Finally, the implications of this kind of analysis for urban planning and development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of proteinuria in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is of major importance in the diagnosis and management of preeclampsia. Urinary protein/creatinine ratio, which is commonly used to detect kidney damage in preeclampsia, suffers from important analytical limitations, including poor harmonization of results between laboratories. Adoption of albuminuria could help reduce interlaboratory bias, since methods used to quantify it are better harmonized. A total of 27 urinary samples collected from hypertensive women evaluated for preeclampsia were sent to four different clinical laboratories in Canada. Urinary proteins and albumin as well as urinary creatinine were measured in duplicates in one batch to calculate protein/creatinine (PCR) and albumin/creatinine (ACR) ratio. Statistical analyses were done to evaluate interlaboratory variability of urinary proteins and urinary albumin. Interlaboratory bias for urinary proteins ranged from 64.7% at low concentration to 3.9% at higher concentrations. In contrast, urinary albumin interlaboratory bias ranged from 29.2% to 4% from low to high concentrations. Coefficient of variation for urinary proteins reached a maximum of 91.5% in lower concentration while urinary albumin highest value was 42.7%. When looking at PCR and ACR ratio, eight samples had PCR measurement range that contained the diagnostic threshold used to detect kidney damage in HDP (30 mg/mmol), while only four samples had ACR ratio measurement range that contained the diagnostic threshold used outside of pregnancy in Canada (2 mg/mmol). Interlaboratory bias was lower for urinary albumin measurement compared to urinary proteins in hypertensive women evaluated for preeclampsia. Better harmonization with the use of albumin instead of protein measurement would reduce instances where results of different laboratories lead to opposite diagnosis of kidney damage in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]