Contact:

604-688-0221 ext: 557

Follow:

Niels Veldhuis

President, Fraser Institute

Niels Veldhuis serves as President of the Fraser Institute, Canada’s most influential think tank.

In his over 20-plus-year career in public policy, Niels has authored six books and more than 50 peer-reviewed studies on a wide range of economic topics. In 2011, he was awarded (along with his co-authors) the prestigious Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award for the best-selling book, The Canadian Century.

Highly regarded for his opinions and perspectives on major economic and social issues, Niels appears regularly in the media across Canada and the United States. He has written hundreds of commentaries that have appeared in over 50 newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, Wall Street Journal, National Post, and The Economist.

Known for his ability to explain matters of economics and government policy in a down-to-earth and easily understood manner, Niels travels widely across North America. His speaking engagements extend to diverse audiences, including business groups, corporate gatherings, community organizations, and students.

Niels has had the privilege of sharing the stage and moderating discussions with prominent business and political leaders from around the world. Notable individuals include Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and BC Premier Gordon Campbell. He has also moderated discussions with distinguished Canadian journalists such as Chantal Herbert, Andrew Coyne, and Rex Murphy, as well as diplomats such as Canada’s Ambassador to China and Israel’s Ambassador to Canada. Niels moderated a discussion between United States Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in 2011 and has facilitated conversations with impactful authors like Mosab Hassan Yousef (author of "Son of Hamas") and Lord Conrad Black.

Niels Veldhuis is an alumnus of Simon Fraser University, was one of Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40 by Business in Vancouver in 2010, and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).

Recent Research by Niels Veldhuis

— Feb 11, 2021
Printer-friendly version

Comparing Economic Performance in Five Pre-Recession Periods is a new study that compares numerous economic indicators relating to income growth, labour markets and business investment for the last five pre-recessionary periods: 1986-1989, 1997-2000, 2005-2008, 2011-2014, and 2016-2019. On almost all of the measures included in the analysis, the economic performance from 2016 to 2019 (the years preceding the COVID-19 recession) was the weakest.

— Feb 2, 2021
Printer-friendly version
Fraser Institute ranked 14th best think tank in the world; recognized as an international Centre of Excellence

The Fraser Institute has ranked 14th best think tank worldwide out of more than 11,000 organizations, according to the University of Pennsylvania’s annual Global Go To Think Tank Index that was released last week. the Institute was also named a Centre of Excellence in the 2020 report, placing it among an elite group of institutions that are recognized for their sustained commitment to quality and excellence in public policy research.

— Aug 27, 2020
Printer-friendly version
Federal Government Wasting Billions on Poorly Targeted Assistance

Federal Government Wasting Billions on Poorly Targeted Assistance is a new study that finds the federal government is potentially wasting more than $22 billion in COVID recession spending because the money is not being adequately targeted to those in need. Crucially, more than one-in-four dollars (27.4 per cent) of the COVID-related spending included in the analysis is potentially going to Canadians with questionable need at a time when Ottawa is running a historic deficit.