Search

Search results

1. 1990s put Alberta’s fiscal problems into alarming perspective

   As a share of the provincial economy, Alberta's recent deficits are larger than those incurred in the early ’90s. ...

2. Kenney government tables another bad news budget—but don’t just blame COVID

   Alberta's new budget projects a $18.2 billion deficit in 2021/22. ...

3. Kenney should draw inspiration from Klein reforms and reduce spending quickly

   Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, February 9, 2021 Back in the early 1990s, in the face of serious fiscal challenges, former premier Ralph Klein changed the trajectory of Alberta’s government finances and set the stage for a decade of fiscal stability. Today, ...

4. Lessons for Fiscal Reform from the Klein Era

   Alberta is facing serious fiscal challenges, including a historic deficit and rapid debt accumulation that extend beyond the COVID shock. This is not the first time Alberta’s finances have been in trouble. Today’s situation has parallels to the ...

5. Spending reductions key to Kenney government fiscal plan

   Appeared in the Calgary Sun, January 6, 2021 The largest global recession since the Great Depression, an unprecedented drop in energy prices, and a global health pandemic have contributed to Alberta’s historic $21.3 billion budget deficit, explains ...

6. Alberta’s historic budget deficit underscores daunting fiscal challenges

   The Kenney government Thursday released a fiscal update, which includes a historic $24.2 billion budget deficit, highlighting the significant impact the COVID recession has had on Alberta’s already troubling finances. To address these ...

7. Kenney government faces more hard choices with second budget

   Appeared in the Calgary Sun, February 26, 2020 Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson once famously said “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” In other words, it’s often easier to devise a plan for success than it is to ...

8. Alberta throne speech disconnected from reality

   The Alberta government Monday delivered its throne speech for 2019. Unfortunately, the speech seemed utterly disconnected from the fiscal and economic challenges facing Alberta and the corresponding need for an ambitious policy response. ...

9. A Spending Framework for Alberta: Balancing the Need for Deficit Elimination and Tax Reform

   This paper calculates the extent of spending reductions that Alberta would need to make over the next three years to eliminate the province’s budget deficit by fiscal year 2021/22 while also creating the necessary fiscal room for pro-growth tax relief. ...

10. Quarterly update highlights danger of riding rickety revenue rollercoaster

    The Notley government’s failure to restrain spending is quickly growing Alberta’s debt burden. ...