Bio

Alex Chernoff is a Senior Economist in the International Economic Analysis Department. His research interests include Applied Econometrics, Applied Microeconomics, International Trade, Economic History, Agricultural Economics, and Urban Economics. Alex Chernoff received his Ph.D. in Economics from Queen’s University.

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Staff Analytical Notes

The Scale and Scope of Online Retail

Staff Analytical Note 2018-19 Alex Chernoff
This paper studies the growth of online retail over the period 1999–2012, using confidential firm-product-level data for Canada. The revenue of online retailers is decomposed into the contributions of product scope (the number of product categories) and product scale (average revenue per product category).
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical notes Topic(s): Digital currencies and fintech, Firm dynamics, International topics JEL Code(s): D, D2, D22, L, L1, L11, L8, L81

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Staff Working Papers

Amazon Effects in Canadian Online Retail Firm-Product-Level Data

Staff Working Paper 2019-42 Alex Chernoff
I use firm-product-level data for Canadian online retailers to study how product scope (the average number of product categories per firm) evolved from 1999 to 2012. During this period, product scope dropped monotonically from 59 to 5 product categories.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Firm dynamics, Service sector JEL Code(s): D, D2, D22, L, L1, L11, L8, L81

Exchange Rates, Retailers, and Importing: Theory and Firm-Level Evidence

Staff Working Paper 2019-34 Alex Chernoff, Patrick Alexander
We develop a model with firm heterogeneity in importing and cross-border shopping among consumers. Exchange-rate appreciations lower the cost of imported goods, but also lead to more cross-border shopping; hence, the net impact on aggregate retail prices and sales is ambiguous.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Exchange rates, International topics, Service sector JEL Code(s): F, F1, F10, F14, L, L8, L81

Local Labor Markets in Canada and the United States

Staff Working Paper 2019-12 David Albouy, Alex Chernoff, Chandler Lutz, Casey Warman
We examine local labor markets in the United States and Canada from 1990 to 2011 using comparable household and business data. Wage levels and inequality rise with city population in both countries, albeit less in Canada.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Labour markets JEL Code(s): J, J2, J21, J3, J31, J6, J61, N, N3, N32, R, R1, R12

Housing Price Network Effects from Public Transit Investment: Evidence from Vancouver

Staff Working Paper 2018-18 Alex Chernoff, Andrea Craig
In this paper, we estimate the effect on housing prices of the expansion of the Vancouver SkyTrain rapid transit network during the period 2001–11. We extend the canonical residential sorting equilibrium framework to include commuting time in the household utility function.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Asset pricing, Economic models, Housing JEL Code(s): H, H4, H41, R, R2, R21, R4, R41

Firm Heterogeneity, Technological Adoption, and Urbanization: Theory and Measurement

Staff Working Paper 2017-27 Alex Chernoff
This paper develops a model of firm heterogeneity, technological adoption, and urbanization. In the model, welfare is measured by household real income, and urbanization is measured by population density. I use the model to derive statistics that measure the effect of a new technology on productivity, welfare, and urbanization.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Economic models, Productivity, Regional economic developments JEL Code(s): N, N6, N61, O, O1, O14, R, R1, R13

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Bank Publications

The Economy, Plain and Simple

Journal Publications

Refereed journals

  • “Between a Cap and a Higher Price: Modeling the Price of Dairy Quotas under Price Ceiling Legislation”, Canadian Journal of Economics, 48(4), (November 2015): 1403-1429
  • “Local Labor Markets in Canada and the United States (joint with David Albouy, Chandler Lutz, and Casey Warman)”, Journal of Labor Economics, 37(2), (July 2019): S533-S59