The Outspan Economic Consulting Group Inc.

The Outspan Group Inc.

The Outspan Group has unique and proven expertise in the application of economics for sustainable solutions to environmental and natural resource issues.


The Outspan Group offers professional consulting services within Canada and internationally in all areas of environmental and renewable resource economics. Some of the areas of expertise include:


Agricultural and resource economics, economic impact analysis, sectoral analysis, socio-economic impact analysis, market analysis, forecasts, Socio-economic Survey Research: Survey design and implementation, field data collection, complete statistical analysis, market surveys and research


Consulting members of The Outspan Group have extensive practical experience in producing solutions for wide-ranging environmental problems. Most often, these solutions involve the integration of both economic and environmentally sound resource management. The Group's demonstrated high professional standards, fundamental to its approach, and a totality of commitment, are its strongest assets.


The firm's objective is to provide information, analysis and results on sectoral values for clients and to relate them to sound policies and plans for sustainable development. The problems and solutions described here are only some examples of the kinds of applied, practical and implementable solutions the firm takes pride in providing its clients.

Company Details

Year Established: 1991

Total Sales ($CDN): $100,000 - $200,000

Number of Employees: 2

Company Information

Peter G. Whiting
Title: Manager
Area of Responsibility: Management Executive
Telephone: (613) 389-5447
Fax: (613) 389-5112
Email: Click Here

Products

Environmental Products And Services

Multidisciplinary Integration Of Economic, Financial And Biological Information.
Agriculture is fundamental to the survival of mankind and while producers can derive an adequate return over time, it is questionable whether the resources on which it is based are adequately valued. Sustainable agriculture requires that the resources be valued appropriately to reflect their worth and ensure their long term maintenance. When national accounts typically measure output but not output potential, the resource values associated with production are essentially overlooked. For example, national accounts consider a massive oil spill on farmland a net contribution to the economy, due to the commercial activity generated by the clean-up efforts. However, no accounting of the potential production eliminated or reduced by the spill is taken into consideration. Clearly, the base resources are not valued appropriately in this type of case. In order to value basic agricultural resources - land, water, plant and animal genetic stock, etc. - special economic valuation skills must be applied: contingent valuation methods. These methods gather information from a wide range of interests and generate values which can more adequately reflect society's perceptions of their worth. Members of The Outspan Group have experience at applying these and other research valuation techniques to help show the worth of agriculture's fundamental resources.

Policy Integrating Economic And Environmental Objectives
Policies are required which explicitly recognize the intertwined economic, financial and biological production realities of the primary producer and processors and which can be integrated with specific environmental objectives and policies. Environmental stewardship is generally an objective of the agricultural sector. Most producers realize the value of maintaining their resource base. However, 'economic failure', the inability of existing markets to capture the 'true' value of natural resources creates a problem for resource owners. Economic failure has primarily two sources: market failure (distortions due to 'missing markets') and government failure (distortions due to government actions in intervening in the workings of the market). Not infrequently, prices received by producers are insufficient to reflect an adequate resource rent. In addition, interventions in the market by different levels of government in the pursuit of different and sometimes conflicting objectives can create situations where it becomes difficult or impossible to meet the stewardship requirement. Financial incentives are frequently not apparent for the environmental objective. Additionally, governments have been known to impose solutions rather than negotiate or develop solutions in a cooperative manner with resource owners. Through the integration of policies and programs connected to the agricultural sector, progress on creating financial incentives for environmental stewardship can be generated. Members of The Outspan Group have extensive experience at multi-disciplinary and multi-objective policy analysis. This expertise has been applied in both agricultural and environmental sectors.

Applied Economic Analysis Techniques
Resource and environmental valuation is a key component of environmental and resource management. The Outspan Group has international experience in the application of these economic techniques and the enhancing of capacity in other countries in these areas. Applying Economics for sustainable solutions is the solution.

Services

Agrologist - Integrated Rural Development Through the combined knowledge and experience of professionals in a wide range of fields, the firm provides services in Integrated Rural Development. We are currently working with an ENGO and other firms on an intregrated rural development project in Viet Nam concerning restoration of Agent Orange damaged lands.

Management Consultant - Development Studies Management - Tourism

Management Consultant - Development Studies/Mgmt - Resource Mgmt

Management Consultant - Training

Environmental Economics Internationally known for its work in the environmental economics field, The Outspan Group provides a wide array of professional consulting services to its clients in Canada and abroad.

Resource Economics Resource Economics - we provide an analysis of natural resource values for appropriate resource and environmental management. We also have expertise in Natural Resource Accounting.

Cultural And Heritage Economics The economic analysis of arts, culture and heritage resources to reflect their value within their communities goes beyond economic impact analysis. The Outspan Group has developed an economic benefits framework for this type of analysis and has applied this framework in case studies.