Government Spending

Subsidized Daycare—What British Columbia Can Learn from Quebec’s 20-Year Experiment

— Mar 22, 2018

Subsidized Daycare—What British Columbia Can Learn from Quebec’s 20-Year Experiment finds that policymakers in B.C. should learn from Quebec’s government-subsidized daycare program, which has proven costly for taxpayers, has not paid for itself and has experienced mixed child development outcomes.

Back on Track: How the Federal Liberals Can Deliver Their Promised Balanced Budget by 2019/20

— Feb 23, 2018

Back on Track: How the Federal Liberals Can Deliver Their Promised Balanced Budget by 2019/20 finds that a modest one per cent reduction in program spending—spread out over two years—would achieve budget balance. Incidentally, since coming into office in 2015, the federal Liberals have increased program spending by 20.1 per cent ($51 billion) in just three years.

Will British Columbia’s New NDP Government Abandon Past Spending Discipline?

— Feb 14, 2018

Will B.C.’s New NDP Government Abandon Past Spending Discipline? finds that British Columbia currently enjoys one of the strongest fiscal positions in Canada because of modest spending growth. In fact, over a 15-year period starting in 2001/02, successive provincial governments in B.C. increased spending, on average, 3.5 per cent annually—the lowest level of spending growth during that time period of any province.

Repeating Past Mistakes? Spending Restraint Critical for Ontario’s Fiscal Health

— Feb 6, 2018

Repeating Past Mistakes? Spending Restraint Critical for Ontario’s Fiscal Health finds that the Ontario government is ramping up program spending by more than $7 billion this year, or nearly six per cent—more than three times higher than the average increase in the years following the 2009 recession.

The Age of Eligibility for Public Retirement Programs in the OECD

— Nov 23, 2017

The Age of Eligibility for Public Retirement Programs in the OECD finds that Canada is out of step with most major industrialized countries—and the other G7 nations—which are increasing the age of eligibility for public retirement programs. In fact, of the 22 high-income industrialized countries (apart from Canada) in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 18 of them—82 per cent—are increasing the age of eligibility for government retirement programs.

Bending the Curve: Recent Developments in Government Spending on First Nations

— Nov 21, 2017

Bending the Curve: Recent Developments in Government Spending on First Nations finds that First Nations across Canada are generating billions in revenue for themselves—and not only from natural resources. According to the study, the average own-source revenue total for approximately 80 per cent of all First Nations in Canada (those with publicly available data) was $5.9 million in 2015/16.

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Recent Government Spending Commentaries and Blog Posts

An economy is for producing well-being, not GDP or tax revenue

William Watson

An argument you hear a lot these days is that if the state paid for daycare, then more mothers would enter the workforce.

Most of Ontario’s new debt due to day-to-day spending

Ben Eisen, Charles Lammam

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, April 18, 2018

Between 2007/08 and 2018/19, Ontario’s debt has grown from $157 billion to $325 billion.

Quebec expects operating surplus of $904 million compared to Alberta’s $8.8 billion deficit

Livio Di Matteo

Ontario and Alberta are projecting budget deficits for years to come.

Cracking down on private clinics means cracking down on patients in need

Bacchus Barua

Last year in B.C., the average wait time between referral to treatment was 26.6 weeks.

What’s killing ICBC—and should it be saved

John Chant

Appeared in the Vancouver Province, April 5, 2018

ICBC is heading for a $1.3 billion loss this year.

Ontario now adding debt even faster than before

Ben Eisen

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, April 4, 2018

This year, the government expects to add $16.8 billion to the province’s net debt.

Surprise—Alberta’s government debt burden is approaching Quebec’s

Charles Lammam, Hugh MacIntyre, Ben Eisen

Between now and 2022/23, Alberta’s per-person debt is projected to grow by 157 per cent.

Quebec’s experience with government-subsidized daycare should serve as a warning for B.C.

Vincent Geloso

Appeared in the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, March 29, 2018

The Quebec government spent $2.3 billion last year, or $9,772 per child, on its daycare program.

The Wynne budget—more spending, more fiscal problems, more debt

Ben Eisen, Charles Lammam

Appeared in the Toronto Sun, March 29, 2018

This year’s budget plans to increase program spending by 6.1 per cent this year.

Ontario budget ignores past promises, offers no plan to enhance economic competitiveness

Ben Eisen, Charles Lammam

Ontario will run budget deficits of nearly $7 billion in each of the next three fiscal years.