Ontario Prosperity

Ontario Premiers and Provincial Government Spending, 2024

— Aug 1, 2024

Ontario Premiers and Provincial Government Spending, 2024 finds that despite political rhetoric while in opposition, the Ontario government of Premier Doug Ford has recorded two of the three highest per person spending levels since 1965, even excluding COVID-related one-time spending. In fact, Premier Ford’s highest per person spending levels ($12,227 in 2020 and $12,081 in 2021, excluding COVID spending) surpass former Premier Kathleen Wynne’s highest spending level: $11,101 in 2017.

Ontario’s Two Lost Economic Decades: 2002-2022

— May 9, 2024

Ontario's Two Lost Economic Decades: 2002-2022 finds that, from using several key indicators of Ontario’s economic performance from 2002-2022, minimal economic progress was made for Ontarians during this time—and the province lost ground relative to much of the country.

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.

Recent Ontario Prosperity Commentaries and Blog Posts

Ford government continues irresponsible fiscal management in Ontario

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

In 2023/24, the province's net debt reached $408 billion.

Is Ontario too Toronto-centric?

Livio Di Matteo

The Greater Toronto Area accounts for more than 20 per cent of the province's population.

Ontario education spending up but student performance is down

Michael Zwaagstra

Appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, August 26, 2024

Many of the province's curriculum guides are confusing and lack sufficient content.

Ontario government is anything but ‘fiscally responsible’

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, August 14, 2024

This year the government plans to run a $9.8 billion deficit followed by a $4.6 billion deficit next year.

Remove the LCBO from the hands of politicians

Livio Di Matteo

The provincial government recently intervened in the Crown corporation's internal business decisions.

Ontario’s future as dynamic economy in doubt—if employment trends continue

Livio Di Matteo

A drop in self-employment means a drop in the number of small businesses and a decline in entrepreneurship.

Ontario government can’t blame fiscal woes on ‘slow’ economy

Grady Munro, Jake Fuss

Appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, June 17, 2024

For the 2024/25 fiscal year, the budget projects a $6.1 billion increase in program spending.

Ontario can learn from Alberta and save small schools

Michael Zwaagstra

Appeared in the Epoch Times, May 25, 2024

The Ontario government does not fund independent schools nor allow parents to create charter schools.

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.