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1. Surprise—Alberta’s government debt burden is approaching Quebec’s

   The recent provincial budgets released by the Quebec and Alberta governments are a study in contrasts of government debt. On one hand, Quebec has a high-debt government that’s aiming to reduce its debt burden. On the other hand, Alberta ...

2. Alberta NDP government’s spending trajectory mirrors that of Bob Rae’s in Ontario

   When Premier Notley’s NDP government took office in Alberta in 2015, it inherited a difficult fiscal situation. A sustained period of rapid spending growth under her predecessors, along with the fall in oil prices and resulting drop in ...

3. Rae Days in Alberta: The Notley Government at Two Years

   When Premier Notley took office two years ago in Alberta, her new government faced severe fiscal challenges. The province had a large and growing budget deficit and was headed towards net debt status for the first time in approximately 15 years. It was ...

4. Alberta’s 2017 budget—a bad case of déjà vu

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, March 20, 2017 Many of us are guilty of failing to learn lessons from the past and then going on to repeat avoidable mistakes. Alberta’s 2017 budget is a prime example of this at the government level. Call it a bad case of ...

5. Alberta’s budget will make life worse—not better

   Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, March 20, 2017 Alberta’s 2017 budget address is subtitled “Working to Make Life Better.” Unfortunately, the budget lays out a path towards higher taxes and more spending-fuelled deficits and debt. Let’s start with the eye ...

6. Alberta’s 2017 budget—a decade of fiscal deterioration with no end in sight

   Ten years ago, Alberta’s finances were in good shape. What a difference a decade makes. Despite high oil prices in many years since 2007/08, the province has run a nearly uninterrupted string of deficits ever since primarily due to rapid ...

7. Poll says Albertans looking for a new fiscal direction in upcoming budget

   The Notley government is set to release its 2017 budget tomorrow. Barring any major surprises, it will contain spending-fuelled deficits as far out as the government provides projections. There’s also no indication that there will be any ...

8. Budget season—Alberta and Ottawa must revert back to proven fiscal policies

   Budget season in Canada is now in full swing as governments unveil their tax and spending plans for the coming year and beyond. Two upcoming budgets deserve special attention: Alberta’s (March 16) and the federal government’s (March 22), ...

9. Only 20.6% of Alberta’s $35 billion capital spending plan will pay for roads and bridges

   When the Notley government unveils Alberta’s 2017 budget next week, it will likely trumpet its multi-billion infrastructure spending plan as a way to grow Alberta’s faltering economy. That was certainly the message in the recent speech ...

10. Alberta's Budget Deficit: Why Spending is to Blame, 2017

    Alberta is projected to run a deficit of $10.8 billion in 2016/17. This will be the province’s 8th deficit in nine years. The province is expected to return to a net debt position this year for the first time since 2000/2001. While the sharp ...