Ontario Prosperity

Canadian History Untold: Assessing the K–12 Curriculum Guides in British Columbia and Ontario

— Apr 25, 2024

Canadian History Untold: Assessing the K-12 Curriculum Guides in British Columbia and Ontario finds that the amount of Canadian history being taught to Ontario and BC students in K-12 is limited. In Ontario, what little Canadian history is taught doesn’t follow a logical, chronological order, and in BC’s case, it is overly-focussed on discriminatory events in Canada’s past.

Barriers to Housing Supply in Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area

— Feb 22, 2024

Barriers to Housing Supply in Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area finds that despite progress by various municipalities and the provincial government, significant impediments to homebuilding remain in Ontario.

Comparing Employment Income in Toronto and Selected American Metropolitan Areas

— Feb 15, 2024

Comparing Employment Income in Toronto and Selected American Metropolitan Areas is a new study that compares median employment income in Toronto and US metropolitan areas, and finds that the annual gap in employment income between Toronto and the lowest ranking large US metropolitan area, Miami, was $2,030 in 2019, while the difference between Toronto and the highest-ranking US metro, San Francisco, was $32,765.

Measuring Ontario’s Prosperity Gap at the Metropolitan Area Level

— Nov 28, 2023

Measuring Ontario’s Prosperity Gap at The Metropolitan Area Level is a new study that ranks employment incomes in the largest 107 metropolitan areas around the Great Lakes region for 2019. It finds that London (93rd) and Windsor (99th) are right near the bottom and are $10-12,000 less than median employment incomes in Detroit, Buffalo and Cleveland.

No Sign of Significant Debt Reduction or Tax Relief in Ford’s Spring 2023 Budget – It’s All Spend, Spend, Spend!

— Jul 5, 2023

No Sign of Significant Debt Reduction or Tax Relief in Ford’s Spring 2023 Budget—It’s All Spend, Spend, Spend! is a new study that details what the current Ontario government could have achieved in terms of lower taxes, surpluses and debt relief if it had maintained the spending levels of the previous Wynne government. Instead, the current government has increased spending by $9.5 billion above the average (inflation adjusted) annual spending of its predecessor, and is forecasting a $1.3 billion deficit this year.

Economic Performance in Southwestern Ontario’s CMAs: A National Perspective 2023 Update

— Mar 30, 2023

Economic Performance in Southwestern Ontario’s CMAs: A National Perspective, 2023 Update of the 36 metropolitan areas in Canada covered by Statistics Canada, Windsor experienced the largest drop in its ranking for median household income—having the 11th highest median household income in Canada in 2005 to having the 33rd highest median household income in 2019. Similarly, London fell from 13th to 28th place.

Recent Ontario Prosperity Commentaries and Blog Posts

Ontario government’s economic plan full of obvious flaws

Jake Fuss

Appeared in the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal, April 19, 2024

Government-sector employment in the province is up 18.5 per cent compared to only 11.7 per cent for the private sector.

Ontarians face some of the highest income tax rates in North America

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

Appeared in the Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2024

An individual making C$50,000 per year faces a higher income tax rate in Ontario than in every U.S. state.

Ontario’s ‘discovery math’ disaster underscores need for renewed focus in schools

Matthew Lau

Appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, March 31, 2024

In 2022-23, only 50 per cent of Grade Six students met provincial standards in math.

Ontario government again breaks promise to reduce taxes

Grady Munro, Jake Fuss

Appeared in the Toronto Sun, March 27, 2024

Among 61 Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions, Ontario had the third-highest top combined personal income tax rate.

Instead of pumping the brakes, Ontario government accelerates spending and debt accumulation

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro, Ben Eisen

The government will increase program spending by $4.2 billion in 2024/25 and $3.5 billion in 2025/26.

Ontario government’s fiscal history drenched in red ink

Livio Di Matteo

From 1968 to 2023, Ontario ran 48 deficits—or deficits 87 per cent of the time.

Ontario government continues ‘party’ with taxpayer money

Matthew Lau

Appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, March 23, 2024

In 2017-18, Ontario government program spending was 17.3 per cent of GDP compared to 17.9 per cent this fiscal year.

Ontario government should finally keep its promises in upcoming budget

Grady Munro, Jake Fuss

Appeared in the Toronto Star, March 18, 2024

By the end of this fiscal year, deficits under the Ford government will total a projected $41.7 billion over six years.

Ontarians in big cities suffer from weak employment income growth

Ben Eisen

Population growth often leads to faster economic growth, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the economy is doing well.

Ontario government racks up massive debt and sticks Ontarians with the bill

Grady Munro, Jake Fuss

Appeared in the Ottawa Citizen, February 26, 2024

Over the last 15 years, the province has run 14 budget deficits.