Research briefs for decisions about places
Short, sourced comparisons of cities and provinces, of exposure to a global driver, and of what a policy has changed on paper. Every number is traceable to a published series, every interpretation is labelled, and a person reviews each brief before it is sent.
Three briefs, defined
Scope, timeline and price are agreed per project.
How does one city or province compare with chosen peers on labour, housing, population, prices and manufacturing, and how has the gap moved? 8 to 12 pages, data appendix. For economic development agencies, real estate firms, banks, consultancies.scoped per project
Which regions and indicators are most exposed to oil, US demand, interest rates or a commodity, using documented exposures and labelled correlations. 6 to 10 pages. For associations, lenders, strategy teams.scoped per project
What a named policy changed on paper, who is exposed, and what the data show so far, as association only. 3 to 6 pages. For government relations teams and investors.scoped per project
Which major projects are recorded in a region, at what stage and value, with source documents and what is not double counted; with the regional indicators that would show their effect. 6 to 12 pages. Only verified records are used, each with its source and verification state (see the investment monitor). For investors, utilities, contractors, port and logistics operators.scoped per project
A recurring set of briefs for a team: agreed geographies and industries and a quarterly update, under a retainer with a defined capacity. Scope and price are agreed in writing with each organisation; professional firms can also work with Northline as a research partner.scoped per organisation
See a sample brief built from published data → (format illustration; not a client deliverable)
What a benchmark table looks like
Six large metropolitan areas on four indicators, from published Statistics Canada series (latest period 2026-10). An illustration of the format, not a client deliverable and not analysis.
| Metropolitan area | Unemployment rate | Employment, 12 months | Inflation (CPI) | New-home prices, 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary | 6.6% | 6.2% | 3.4% | 0.0% |
| Edmonton | 7.1% | 3.0% | 3.5% | -0.8% |
| Toronto | 7.1% | 1.9% | 2.1% | -4.9% |
| Vancouver | 6.7% | 1.2% | 3.0% | -2.1% |
| Montréal | 6.9% | -0.9% | 3.0% | 1.2% |
| Ottawa–Gatineau | 7.1% | 0.9% | 3.0% | 1.0% |
Unemployment is a three-month average (Labour Force Survey); employment growth is the 12-month change in that three-month average; Ottawa–Gatineau CPI and new-home prices cover the Ontario part only. Metropolitan figures are never mixed with provincial or national ones. A brief would add the commentary, the definitions, the limits and the data appendix. City reports · Compare tool
What these briefs cannot do
Said up front, because it decides whether they are useful.
- The data do not include industry employment or wages for cities, rents, commercial real estate, infrastructure or project pipelines beyond a small pilot. A brief that depends on them is out of scope.
- Correlations are shown as correlations; no effect of one variable on another is estimated, and no sensitivity is multiplied along a chain.
- No forecast is sold as a prediction.
- Data from sources whose terms forbid redistribution never appear in an appendix.
How to start
Through the request form, scoped in writing before any work starts.
- The request form, or a direct introduction.
- A one-page scope note: question, geographies, indicators, deliverable, review step, timeline and price.
- Delivery with the data appendix and the vintage statement; one structured follow-up question.
Independence is a condition of every engagement: the client sets the question and not the conclusion. Each brief is quoted in writing before any work starts.