Publication paywalls slows Research and Development No paywalls. No journal subscriptions.

Bill &; Melinda Gates Foundation removes paywalls enabling faster Research and Development.
No pay walls. No journal subscriptions. It is not a new idea.

As an individual and small Canadian business, sci-hub is essential for my research and development. Sci-hub has enabled multiple patents, without sci-hub I would not be able to significantly contribute to the Canadian economy.

Scientific publications should not be behind paywalls creating technology monopolies. Trade agreements that restrict sharing technology are major problems that will decrease Canadian economic growth.

Sharing information insures that it is used and remembered increases information's value.

Restricting access to information decreases the value of information as it will be forgotten. Restricting access to information necessary industrial development or political / economic accountability reduces economic growth.

The largest academic publishers have had very little incentive to wholeheartedly embrace open access. By doing so, they would diminish the value of their copyrights and reduce their profit margins, which can be substantial.

Short answer: Journals charge so much because they can. A university is expected to have access to journals (by faculty, students, etc) and so libraries don't have much choice except to pay what the publisher demands (what economists call "inelastic demand").

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21719438-about-change-findings-medical-research-are-disseminated-too?cid1=cust/ednew/n/bl/n/20170323n/owned/n/n/nwl/n/n/n/9217796/n