Government Spending

Financing the Canada Child Benefit

— Oct 27, 2020

Financing the Canada Child Benefit, part two of an essay series on the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), finds that federal spending on benefits for eligible families with children through the CCB increased by 68.5 per cent from fiscal year 2014/15 to 2019/20—financed entirely by borrowing.

Read Part I: Is the Canada Child Benefit Targeted to those Most in Need?

Is the Canada Child Benefit Targeted to those Most in Need?

— Oct 6, 2020

Is the Canada Child Benefit Targeted to those Most in Need?, part one of an essay series on the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), finds that families with less than $40,000 of annual household income receive 16.2 per cent of total benefits from the CCB program—compared to 21.8 per cent under two child benefit programs scrapped by the federal government in 2016.

Local Leviathans: The Rise of Municipal Government Spending in Canada, 1990–2018

— Oct 1, 2020

Local Leviathans: The Rise of Municipal Government Spending in Canada, 1990–2018 finds that local governments across Canada have increased spending significantly in recent years—even before the COVID-19 pandemic and recession. In fact, from 2008 to 2018, total municipal spending in Canada increased 51 per cent, from $68.4 billion to $103.3 billion. And total municipal government revenues—including taxes, user fees and grants from other levels of government—increased 54 per cent over the same recent 10-year period.

Canada’s Aging Population and Long-Term Projections for Federal Finances

— Sep 22, 2020

Canada's Aging Population and Long-Term Projections for Federal Finances finds that the federal government is not on track to balance the budget anytime over the next 30 years as a result of Canada’s aging population and Ottawa’s historically high spending pre-COVID.

How Much Could a Guaranteed Annual Income Cost?

— Sep 17, 2020

How Much Could A Guaranteed Annual Income Cost? finds that if the federal government introduces a Guaranteed Annual Income program, it could cost taxpayers between $131.9 billion and $464.5 billion a year. This study estimates the potential costs of four different potential GAI programs including different options for reducing program costs by “phasing out’ the benefit as an individual’s income rises.

Illustrating the Tax Implications of a Guaranteed Annual Income

— Sep 17, 2020

Illustrating the Tax Implications of a Guaranteed Annual Income finds that the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) would have to increase from the current five per cent to between 26.25 and 105.35 per cent in order to cover the cost of potential Guaranteed Annual Income programs.

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Recent Government Spending Commentaries and Blog Posts

Canada’s spending and deficits higher than comparable countries during pandemic

Jake Fuss, Jason Clemens, Milagros Palacios

Canada ranks 6th highest among 35 high-income for the share of the economy represented by government spending.

Trudeau government should heed looming risks to federal finances

Jason Clemens, Milagros Palacios

Appeared in the Globe and Mail, October 23, 2020

The federal debt will reach nearly 70 per cent of GDP by 2050.

Furey government should reduce spending to spur economic recovery in province

Alex Whalen, Jake Fuss

Appeared in the St. John's Telegram, October 23, 2020

The province's spending is projected to increase by $542 million.

Our aging population—a serious problem for Canada

Jake Fuss

The share of the population over 65 is projected to grow from about 18 per cent to nearly 26 per cent.

Government wages and employee numbers drive municipal spending across Canada

Livio Di Matteo

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, October 7, 2020

Property taxes alone account for 48 per cent of revenues.

Ottawa reducing value of money and spending billions

Fred McMahon

Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, October 7, 2020

Inflation peaked at 14 per cent in Canada and the U.S.

Spend first, ask questions later—not sustainable fiscal policy

Livio Di Matteo

Running upwards of a $400 billion deficit for the duration of the pandemic is fiscally irresponsible.

Nova Scotia most government-dominated province in Canada

Alex Whalen, Steven Globerman

Appeared in the Bluenose Bulletin, October 1, 2020

Government accounted for 61.6 per cent of all economic activity in the province.

Trudeau government must improve investment climate to ‘build back better’

Niels Veldhuis, Milagros Palacios

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, September 24, 2020

Canada's ranking has plummeted in global competitiveness report cards.

Insights from the text of the throne speech

Jason Clemens, Jake Fuss

The Trudeau government sees the government itself as the driver of prosperity, and the private sector, including entrepreneurs, small business owners and investors playing a secondary role.