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Dr. Geoffrey Young combines a variety of experience in the academic,
public and private sectors. He has instructed in cost-benefit analysis and public
finance, has been employed by the British Columbia
and Alberta Finance Departments as an economist, and has published economic
research papers. He also has extensive
experience in local government as a City Councillor in Victoria,
as Chair of the Capital Region Board, and on numerous local boards and
commissions, including the B.C. Financial Institutions Commission and Victoria’s airport
board.
Since 1984 Dr. Young has been a partner in Discovery
Economic Consulting (DEC). DEC is
involved in providing statistical and research services and financial
calculations to the legal community and in the evaluation of economic
development projects. Dr. Young has
provided DEC with economic research, statistical calculations, and
preparation of reports. He has
appeared over 100 times in B.C. courts as an expert witness in economics.
London School of Economics - General Course Student, 1966-67
University of British Columbia - B.A. (Honours in
Economics), 1968
Harvard University - M.A. (Economics), 1970
Harvard University - Ph.D. (Economics), 1973
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Statistics
and Econometrics
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Tax
Policy
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Micro-Economic
Theory
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Expenditure
Evaluation
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Macro-Economic
Theory
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Economic
Development
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September
1984 - Present
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PRINCIPAL,
DISCOVERY ECONOMIC CONSULTING
Provided economic analysis in legal cases, appearing in the Supreme Court
of British Columbia as required.
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1984 - 1991
(occasional)
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SESSIONAL
LECTURER, UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA
Taught graduate seminar in energy policy for the School of Public
Administration, micro-economics and cost-benefit analysis to undergraduates
for the Department of Economics.
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June
1982 - September 1983
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MANAGER,
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT SECTION, TREASURY BOARD STAFF, BRITISH COLUMBIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Provided budget evaluation and monitoring for the Provincial Economic
Development Ministries, advised and made recommendations on existing and proposed
expenditure programs including capital projects. Provided advice on the various aspects of
provincial energy policy, including the review of major energy projects,
the international negotiations on the Skagit Valley, and natural gas pricing.
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January
1979 - June 1982
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ECONOMIST,
POLICY AND PLANNING RESEARCH BRANCH, BRITISH COLUMBIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Provided policy advice and carried out research in various areas,
including:
- Provincial and local
taxation
- Provincial fees and licence
charges
- Water power rentals
- Motor vehicle fuel taxation
- Procedures for compensation
for environmental damage caused by major projects
- Financing options for major
government projects
- Financial effects of
proposed legislation
- Pension policies
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December
1977 - December 1979
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ECONOMIST,
BRITISH COLUMBIA MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Participated in the preparation of briefing papers on the British Columbia
economy for Federal-Provincial conferences.
Supervised and carried out research in the area of deregulation,
particularly with respect to the trucking industry.
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September
1976 - December 1977
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RESEARCH
OFFICER, ONTARIO ECONOMIC COUNCIL, TORONTO
Carried out research in Federal-Provincial and Provincial-Municipal
relations.
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July
1975 - August 1976
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RESEARCH
ASSOCIATE, BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC POLICY ANALYSIS,
VICTORIA
Carried out research on the relationship between municipal acceptance of
new housing developments and Provincial-Municipal grants.
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September
1973 - June 1975
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ADVISOR,
BUDGET AND FISCAL DIVISION ALBERTA TREASURY, EDMONTON
Provided policy advice in various areas, including fiscal policy,
industrial development, investment of resource revenues, oil and natural
gas pricing.
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September
1973 - June 1975
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VISITING ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, EDMONTON
Courses taught:
- Public Expenditure Policy
(graduate)
- Canadian Tax Policy
- Public Expenditure
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September
1970 - June 1973
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TEACHING
FELLOW, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Taught supplementary classes to sections of undergraduate micro-economic
theory courses.
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1983 - 1999
and
2005 - Present
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MEMBER
OF VICTORIA CITY COUNCIL.
Sat on or chaired numerous boards and committees,
including the Greater Victoria Water District Board, the Greater Victoria
Library Board, the CRD Parks and Environment Committees, and
the Joint Mount Douglas Park Committee.
Within the City government have been at various times Chair of Finance,
Engineering and Public Works, Traffic and Parking, Parks and Recreation,
Fire Safety and Personnel committees of council. Participated in the development of 14 budgets,
two capital referenda, and numerous tax changes, and worked to achieve
conversion of the disused CNR right of way to a highly successful
pedestrian/bicycle trail. Have had the
opportunity to listen to the views of citizens on various local government
issues at hundreds of public hearings and community meetings.
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1996 - 1999
and
2008 - Present
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CHAIR,
CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT
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2001 - 2005
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DIRECTOR,
VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY BOARD
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2000 - 2002
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COMMISSIONER,
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS COMMISSION,
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
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PUBLICATIONS
- “Tax Gross Ups Must Include Hidden Taxes,” The Lawyers Weekly, June 2009.
- “Pooled Family Income
Approach Treats Death of Dependent as a Financial Gain,” The Lawyers Weekly, June 2005.
- “‘You Should Thank
Me…’ - The Valued Legal Principle that “The Wrongdoer
Should Not Profit From His Wrong” is Under Challenge in B.C.,” the Verdict, March 2005.
- “Loss of Pension Value
in Wrongful Dismissal,” the
Verdict, October 2004.
- “Post Secondary
Education in the Okanagan,” a study prepared for the Okanagan University College, June 2000.
- “Are Management Fees Necessary for
Today’s Court Awards?,” The Advocate, March 1999.
- “Lost Years as a Wrongful
Death Claim,” The
Advocate, September 1995.
- “A Cost Benefit Analysis
of the Area Development Incentives Act Program in the Atlantic Provinces,” dissertation (Harvard University), November 1973. A segment of the thesis is summarized
in Thomas J. Courchene, Economic Management and the Division of
Powers, University of Toronto Press, 1986, pp. 40-41.
- “The Property Tax as a Tax on
Durability” (with Richard Arnott), Canadian Journal of
Economics, August 1979.
- “Federal-Provincial
Grants and Equalization” and “Financing Local
Government” in Issues and Alternatives, 1977: Intergovernmental Relations, Ontario Economic Council, 1977.
- ”The Choice of Dependant
Variable for Cross-Section Studies of Migration,” Canadian
Journal of Economics, February
1975.
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