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1. Ontario’s finances—back to the ’90s?

   During the early 1990s, the federal government and many provinces faced severe fiscal challenges so daunting that many described the situation as a crisis. As governments across the country run historically large deficits in response to ...

2. Ontario’s red ink—the Ford government should heed lessons from recent past

   The Ford government recently government tabled its budget for the 2020/21 year. Unsurprisingly, given the pandemic and recession, Ontario is on track to run a large operating budget deficit this year—an estimated $38.5 billion. The budget ...

3. With right approach, Ford government can stop Ontario’s fiscal roller-coaster

   Followers of Alberta government finances are used to hearing term “roller-coaster.” The analogy is that government revenues quickly rise when natural resource royalties go up, and then often plunge when they go back down. Often, Alberta’s ...

4. Ontario braces for largest budget deficits in provincial history

   Before the Ford government tabled Ontario’s 2020/21 budget on Thursday, analysts and budget watchers knew it would likely include the largest deficit in the province’s history. These expectations were met, as the government again ...

5. Ford’s deficit-reduction plan reminiscent of Rae, McGuinty, Wynne years

   Appeared in the Toronto Sun, November 5, 2020 On Thursday, the Ford government tabled its budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year, revealing plans to run some of the largest deficits in Ontario history—not just this year, but in years to come. For fiscal year ...

6. Ontario stuck in vicious cycle of deficits and debt accumulation

   After a pandemic-induced delay, Ontario will release its provincial budget this Thursday and Finance Minister Rod Phillips has already said the budget will focus on COVID response measures. Earlier, the Financial Accountability Office of ...

7. Ontario faces major fiscal challenges beyond massive budget deficit

   This week, the Ford government will table its budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year. Much attention will (deservedly) focus on the provincial budget deficit, which this year will almost certainly be the largest one in decades. The last ...

8. Ford’s tax pledge will help Ontario’s economy recovery

   No matter how you measure it, Ontario’s budget deficit is on track to be the largest in provincial history. And while this year’s massive deficit is primarily due to forces outside the government’s control—mainly the COVID 19 recession ...

9. Premier Ford’s choice is clear—more government debt or real reform

   Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, August 15, 2020 On Wednesday, Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips released the province’s first quarter finances for the 2020/2021 fiscal year. The update is sobering to anybody concerned about Ontario’s well-being. The ...

10. Ontario budget deficit will reach historic levels

    The Ford government on Wednesday released Ontario’s first quarter finances. The headline statistic was the updated estimate of Ontario’s operating budget deficit this year, now pegged at $38.5 billion, up from approximately $20 billion ...