Canadian Pension Microsimulation Model (Technical support & project collaborations)
Statistics Canada has commenced the development of a new dynamic pension microsimulation model in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and HEC Montreal. Dynamic microsimulation models are core analytical tools for many national governments, as they are ideal for framing and exploring "what-if" questions, and create a virtual "policy laboratory" for exploring the socioeconomic outcomes and detailed implications of policy changes, including the complex interactions within and between programmes, and the assessment of the distributional impacts of policy choices. In order to support the expeditious progress of the new dynamic microsimulation project and leverage the experience of similar international projects, Statistics Canada requires demonstration and discussion of recent developmental work concerning dynamic microsimulation platforms, which have similar architecture as the new proposed model, including being time-based, and supporting the use of continuous time and alignment. In this project, WIFO shares its experience in the developmet of the microWELT modelling platform and related projects and aims at strengthening cross-country collaborations in microsimulation model development.