Alex Whalen

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Policy Analyst

Alex Whalen is a Policy Analyst with the Fraser Institute and coordinator for many of the activities for the recently launched Atlantic Canada division. Prior to joining the Institute, Alex was the Vice-President of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS), which merged with the Fraser Institute in November 2019. He is a graduate of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, where he focused on business and tax law, and of the UPEI Business School, where he focused on economics and entrepreneurship. He brings prior experience as an entrepreneur, business manager, and freelance writer to his work at the Institute. His writing has appeared in the National Post, Chronicle-Herald, Telegraph-Journal, Prince Arthur Herald, Charlottetown Guardian, Journal Pioneer, and UPEI School of Business Magazine. A native of Summerside, PEI, he writes regularly on public finance, taxation, municipal affairs, and economics.

Recent Research by Alex Whalen

The Changing Size of Government in Canada, 2007–2018

— Sep 15, 2020

The Changing Size of Government in Canada is a new study that finds the combined size of the federal, provincial and municipal governments increased in every province, relative to the size of their economies, except Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island over the past 10 years.

Measuring the Equalization Clawback on Natural Resource Revenue in Have-Not Provinces

— Aug 25, 2020

Measuring the Equalization Clawback on Natural Resource Revenue in Have-Not Provinces finds that Canada’s equalization program discourages natural resource development in “have-not” provinces, including all three Maritime provinces. As a province receives more revenue from natural resource developments, it receives less money from the federal government in equalization transfers, and consequently, governments in have-not provinces that receive equalization are discouraged by the clawbacks from developing natural resources.

Is Fiscal Stimulus an Effective Policy Response to a Recession? Reviewing the Existing Research

— Jun 25, 2020

Is Fiscal Stimulus an Effective Policy Response to a Recession? finds that new government spending in response to the recession will likely have little effect on economic growth in Canada—but will produce more government debt.