Ron Kneebone
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ronkneebone.bsky.social
Ron Kneebone
@ronkneebone.bsky.social
720 followers 400 following 160 posts
Economist
Interested in policy responses to homelessness, poverty, domestic violence, and, for a change of pace, government finances.
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=RUFFYQQAAAAJ&hl=en
Posts Replies Media Videos
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Being charged with a criminal offence involving domestic violence often follows years of interactions with police. Observing patterns of police contact before that criminal charge, we reveal that for the majority of men, 1/3
spp.ucalgary.ca/sites/defaul...
September 17, 2026 at 2:22 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
How long do people remain in homeless shelters? Not long. In a report released today, I show that in Calgary 30% of people new to the homeless shelter system stay just that one night. Two-thirds stay for 10 nights or less. 1/3
spp.ucalgary.ca/sites/defaul...
spp.ucalgary.ca
September 16, 2026 at 3:42 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
The other day an "influencer" suggested immigrants be sent away b/c what they pay in income tax does not cover the cost of Alberta govt expenditures. Here's a graph of provincial program spending versus income tax revenue. No Albertan pays in income tax anywhere near the cost of public services.
September 11, 2026 at 8:52 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
After a summer hiatus, Rita Wilkins and I are back with our monthly edition of Social Policy Trends. This month, we report on how the risk of homelessness depends on where one lives. 1/2

spp.ucalgary.ca/sites/defaul...
spp.ucalgary.ca
September 10, 2026 at 4:41 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Yeah, I’m eating your tree, what are you going to do about it?
August 6, 2026 at 3:03 AM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Policy approaches to prevent homelessness requires a measure of what income leaves one at greatest risk. Colleague Rita Wilkins and I are pleased that our HICO measure is being used in a proposal for a new Housing Benefit. caeh.ca/transforming...
Transforming the Canada Housing Benefit to Prevent Homelessness
The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness is proposing a transformed Canada Housing Benefit that could reduce homelessness by more than 60%.
caeh.ca
July 14, 2026 at 5:16 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Contrary to some recent suggestions, Alberta does not have bear unreasonable costs -- either absolutely or in comparison to other provinces -- from providing social assistance.
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...

@vibrantcalgary.bsky.social
www.policyschool.ca
March 12, 2026 at 5:19 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Do you actually have something useful to say about homelessness? Great! Then come say it at the 9th Annual Data That Makes A Difference conference, May 27 and 28 in Calgary. @policyschool.bsky.social

mailchi.mp/calgaryhomel...
Data That Makes a Difference – Call for Presenters!
mailchi.mp
January 13, 2026 at 3:59 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Every New Year's Eve I remind myself of this passage from The Dead and think of those I have lost. This year, it was my Mom.
January 1, 2026 at 7:17 AM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
This month, Social Policy Trends looks back on the work we have done during 2025. The social safety net is intended to catch people before they fall too far or too hard and in this way give them a chance to recover. 1/2
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
December 17, 2025 at 5:02 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
This month Social Policy Trends reminds us that anti-poverty initiatives and policies to encourage employment growth are both effective ways of reducing poverty. Pursuing one strategy to the exclusion of the other can leave important gains unrealized.
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
November 19, 2025 at 3:21 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
After a short hiatus, Social Policy Trends is back! This month we describe how the housing crisis impacts the victims of domestic violence and the organizations that provide them with temporary shelter. 1/4
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
October 28, 2025 at 5:23 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
How do we know when someone is at very high risk of homelessness? Compare their income to the Homelessness Income Cut Off.
homelesshub.ca/blog/2025/ho...
The Homelessness Income Cut-Off (HICO): A New Benchmark to Prevent Homelessness in Canada | HomelessHub
The Homelessness Income Cut-Off (HICO) redefines how we identify and respond to housing vulnerability, shifting our focus from poverty in general to the specific point at which people become homeless.
homelesshub.ca
July 30, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Reposted by Ron Kneebone
ctheriault.bsky.social
Immigration expert Robert Falconer says Alberta’s immigration survey is vague on which services could be withheld and could include essentials like health care. He says it may have “serious implications" and that the term "non-citizen" could even mean PR holders

podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s...
Should Alberta withhold social services for immigrants?
Podcast Episode · The Courtney Theriault Show · 2025-06-25 · 9m
podcasts.apple.com
June 25, 2025 at 11:54 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
For those who like their policy studies in bite-sized pieces, today the social policy research team at the School of Public Policy has released a one-page description of a key result from a recent research paper. This is part of our Social Policy Trends series. 🧵
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
June 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Today, we released a study linking two administrative datasets, one describing the use of food banks, the other describing the use of homeless shelters. 🧵
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
June 11, 2025 at 6:59 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
My mom passed away yesterday. She was 98. A hottie nurse in her day.
May 15, 2025 at 9:20 AM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
This month, Social Policy Trends looks at the extent to which Canadian governments provide inflation protection for families dependent upon social assistance. Short 🧵
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
May 14, 2025 at 4:24 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
A two word suggestion to the person leaving an insulting message on my voicemail but too cowardly to leave their name:
May 8, 2025 at 5:28 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Taking time off to help my mother live out what may be her last days. Today she told me she wished she could feel the sun on her face. Leaping into action, I got her nurses, Armand and Fred to sling her into wheelchair so I could take her outside, to feel the sun for maybe the last time. 1/3
May 7, 2025 at 10:09 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Going to stretch my legs walking down, and then back up 😬, the Hamilton “mountain”.
May 6, 2025 at 2:52 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Not a good look for the CBC to include a Liberal party hack on its discussion desk. He’s embarrassing.
April 29, 2025 at 2:58 AM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Oops
April 27, 2025 at 4:48 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
Got to say I am finding it hard to find any commentary on this platform that does not think every solution to an economic problem in Canada involves a larger federal government presence. Not all solutions are found with government and the few that are are not found at the federal level.
April 22, 2025 at 9:17 PM
ronkneebone.bsky.social
The affordability of housing is closely related to local conditions and local regulations. This is not a problem with a federal government solution.
www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/u...
www.policyschool.ca
April 22, 2025 at 2:32 PM