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1. How Albertans Continue to Keep Federal Finances Afloat

   In a 2017 study, we measured Alberta’s net contribution to Canada’s economy during the most recent economic boom in the province. We showed that when it comes to overall economic growth, job creation, or business investment, Alberta made a ...

2. Hampering resource development makes it harder for Quebec to end reliance on equalization

   The Trudeau government’s recent announcement that Quebec will receive billions in equalization payments next year while Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland—Canada’s major oil producers who are facing hard times—will not, caused outcry ...

3. Provincial finances in trouble—spotlight Western Canada

   The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) recently published its annual fiscal sustainability report, which provided long-term projections to assess the sustainability of public finances for the federal government and the provinces. In this ...

4. Controlling compensation costs can help Notley government rein in spending

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, March 9, 2017 Alberta has seen its financial position erode markedly after several years of operating deficits and growing government debt. While some believe the boom-bust of provincial finances is inherent to an energy ...

5. Yes, Alberta’s tax advantage is gone

   Appeared in the Calgary Sun, January 7, 2017 The Fraser Institute recently released a study documenting the erosion of Alberta’s once substantial tax advantage. Specifically, it showed that, until recently, Alberta benefitted from uniquely competitive and ...

6. The End of the Alberta Tax Advantage

   This paper examines the extent to which the tax policy changes introduced in Alberta in 2015 have diminished Alberta’s tax advantage relative to peer jurisdictions. Specifically, we compare key tax rates in Alberta before and after the recent tax policy ...

7. An HST for Alberta? It depends what the money is used for

   In Wednesday’s Financial Post, University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe made the case for a provincial harmonized sales tax (HST) in Alberta. Tombe argued that a harmonized sales tax in Alberta would cause less economic damage for ...

8. Property tax and minimum wage hikes squeezing fragile Calgary retailers

   Calgary retailers have had a bad year, to say the least. Sales were down 3.8 per cent year over year as of March as laid-off employees have trimmed expenses and those worried about prospective layoffs have sat on their wallets. With an ...

9. Narrative about Canada’s post-recession economic superiority overlooks provincial laggards east of Manitoba

   A popular narrative holds that Canada weathered the global financial crisis and recession relatively well, outperforming many advanced countries economically since 2009. This is true for the country as whole particularly when Canada is ...