Government of Canada, Privy Council Office
Français Contact Us Help Search Canada Site
What's New Site Map Other PCO Sites Publications Home
Publications

Publications

Assessing Regulatory Alternatives

Table of Contents

What This Guide Can Do For You
How to Use the Guide
Part I: How to Find the Best Alternatives
The Analytical Framework
The Process
    Question 1. What is the problem?
    Question 2. Is government intervention justified?
    Question 3. What is the objective of intervention?
    Question 4: What are the behaviours that are creating or contributing to the problem?
    Question 5: Who are the key players?
    Question 6: What is the behavioural profile?
    Question 7: What external factors are influencing the behaviours?
    Question 8: What (changes in) behaviours do you want?
    Question 9: How much change in behaviour do you really need?
    Question 10: What instruments will best bring about the desired behaviours?
    Question 11: How would each alternative work in practice?
    Question 12: What are the comparative advantages of each alternative?
    Question 13. What combination of alternatives would work best?
 
Part 2: Factors Affecting Behaviour
    Question 1: Do the people involved understand and accept that there is a problem?
    Question 2: Do they understand and acknowledge their contribution to the problem?
    Question 3: Do they understand and accept the Government's objectives?
    Question 4: Do they understand and accept what you want them to do?
    Question 5: Are they capable of behaving that way?
    Question 6: Are Economic Considerations Involved?
    Question 7: Are social and psychological factors involved?
    Question 8: Can the Government or other players monitor behaviour, promote the desired behaviour, and sanction non-conforming behaviour?
 
Part 3: Alternatives to Regulation
  1. Taxation
  2. Expenditure
  3. Loans and Loan Guarantees
  4. User Charges
  5. Public Ownership
  6. Persuasion (promoting voluntary action)
  Unstructured Voluntary Action
  Structured Voluntary Action: Codes, Guidelines and Voluntary Standards
  Voluntary Standards vs. Consensus Standards
  Voluntary Standards vs. Self-Regulation
  7. Modification of Private Law Rights and Procedures
  8. Insurance
 
Part 4: Alternative Forms of Regulation
  Command-and-Control Regulation
  1. Direct Product Controls
  Price
  Quantity
  Product Attributes
  Technical Standards
  Performance Standards
  2. Supplier Entry and Exit Controls
  3. Production Process Controls
  Technical Standards
  Performance Standards
  4. Information Controls
  Pure Information Disclosure Requirements
  Restrictive Information Controls
  5. Marketable Rights
 
 

Last Modified: 2002-05-03  Important Notices