BC Prosperity

The Role of Natural Resources in British Columbia's Economy

— Mar 22, 2024

The Role of Natural Resources in British Columbia’s Economy, by Senior Fellow Philip Cross, is the first essay in a new series looking at public policy in B.C. This essay quantifies the important role natural resources play in British Columbia’s economy, including the impact on both gross domestic product and employment.

British Columbia’s Current Spending Peak: Highest in History, Highest Growth in Canada

— Feb 21, 2024

British Columbia’s Current Spending Peak: Highest in History, Highest Growth in Canada finds that the B.C. government’s per-person spending in 2022/23, the latest year of available data, was nearly 20 per cent higher than in 2019/20.

The Collapse of Student Testing in BC High Schools: Participation rates plummet as student achievement wanes

— Jan 18, 2024

The Collapse of Student Testing in BC High Schools is a new study that finds participation in B.C.’s provincewide student assessments has dropped, and at the same time, fewer students are meeting the proficiency standards in numeracy and literacy (with one out of every two Grade 10 student failing).

British Columbia's Coming Debt Boom in Historical Context

— Jan 4, 2024

British Columbia’s Coming Debt Boom in Historical Context is a new study that finds over the next three years, the BC government plans to add a total of $35.6 billion in new debt (adjusting for both inflation and financial assets). This compares with additional debt of $9.9 billion after the pandemic and $17.8 billion after the financial crisis of 2008/09.

Measuring British Columbia's Prosperity Gap at the Metropolitan Level

— Nov 7, 2023

Measuring British Columbia’s Prosperity Gap at the Metropolitan Level finds that the median income for workers in Seattle dwarfs the median income for workers in Vancouver, underscoring a general prosperity gap between B.C. and its regional neighbours.

Spending Growth Is the Cause of BC’s Coming Debt Boom

— Aug 10, 2023

Spending Growth is the Cause of BC’s Coming Debt Boom is a new study that finds from 2000-2017 per person program spending in BC increased by 8.4 per cent (adjusted for inflation), but more recently, and in a much shorter time period from 2017 to 2022—even excluding COVID spending—per person spending increased by 25.9 per cent.

Recent BC Prosperity Commentaries and Blog Posts

B.C.’s credit downgrades reflect government’s spending and debt binge

Tegan Hill, Jake Fuss

Appeared in Business in Vancouver, April 15, 2024

The government plans to overspend by $11.2 billion relative to its 2023 budget plan.

B.C. government maintains high tax rates despite prosperity gap in region

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

Appeared in the Vancouver Sun, April 10, 2024

The province had the fourth-highest top combined income tax rate among 61 Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions.

Alberta and B.C. budgets represent two different approaches to government finances

Grady Munro, Tegan Hill

According to projections, government debt interest will cost nearly $1,000 per British Columbian by 2026/27.

B.C. government sparks debt explosion with far-reaching consequences

Tegan Hill, Jason Clemens

From 2019-20 to 2024-25, the government increased program spending by more than 50 per cent.

B.C. government accelerates EV transition while consumers and carmakers hit the brakes

Kenneth P. Green

Appeared in True North, March 13, 2024

Automakers are slowing down EV production plans and warning they see slower sales ahead.

B.C.’s day of ‘debt’ reckoning has arrived

Ben Eisen

Appeared in National Newswatch, March 7, 2024

The province forecasts huge deficits in each of the next four fiscal years.

B.C. budget spells disaster for province’s finances

Tegan Hill

Appeared in Business in Vancouver, February 29, 2024

The province's net debt will reach a projected $129 billion by 2026/27—nearly triple the pre-pandemic level in 2019/20.

B.C. government projects massive debt accumulation—and British Columbians will pay the price

Tegan Hill, Jake Fuss

The government plans to overspend by $11.2 billion relative to its 2023 budget plan.

Another big spending budget would drown B.C. government in red ink

Ben Eisen, Tegan Hill

Appeared in the Vancouver Province, February 21, 2024

In 2022/23, the latest year of complete data, inflation-adjusted spending reached a record high of $14,275 per person.

Yes, B.C.’s Land Act changes give First Nations veto over use of Crown Land

Bruce Pardy

Appeared in the Epoch Times, February 21, 2024

The government's documentation describes “shared decision-making through joint or consent models.”

BC Prosperity Research Experts

John Chant

Professor Emeritus of Economics, Simon Fraser University
Ben Eisen

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Joel Emes

Senior Economist, Fraser Institute
Jock Finlayson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Jake Fuss

Director, Fiscal Studies, Fraser Institute
Lydia Miljan

Professor of Political Science, University of Windsor
Milagros Palacios

Director, Addington Centre for Measurement, Fraser Institute
Niels Veldhuis

President, Fraser Institute

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