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1. 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 ...

2. Alberta fuelled Canada’s post-recession economic growth

   A recent study by the Fraser Institute detailed the scope of Alberta’s outsized contribution to the Canadian economy in recent years. One of the key aspects of that contribution has been Alberta’s role in driving the country’s economic ...

3. During the energy boom, Alberta was a job magnet for Canadians

   In the years prior to the recent recession, strong economic growth in Alberta helped drive the national economy and enhanced the fiscal health of the federal government. The province is a major net contributor to federal finances—between ...

4. Debt becoming the new normal in Alberta

   Appeared in the Edmonton Journal, July 21, 2017 Recently, the Government of Alberta published its annual report on the state of public finances for 2016/17. The report showed that Alberta’s provincial net debt (a measure that adjusts for financial assets ...

5. Measuring Alberta’s contribution to federal finances

   A new study recently released by the Fraser Institute measures the economic and fiscal contributions that Alberta makes to Canada as a whole. It shows that the province contributes disproportionately to the country’s fiscal balance and ...

6. Canada needs a strong Ontario now more than ever

   Appeared in the Toronto Sun, July, 19, 2017 Historically, Alberta and Ontario have been engines fuelling the Canadian economy and significant net contributors to federal finances. In other words, residents of both provinces have generally sent more money ...

7. What would Canada’s finances look like without Alberta?

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, July 15, 2017 During a speech on Canada Day, Prime Minister Trudeau accidentally caused a stir by forgetting to mention Alberta when listing all of Canada's provinces and territories. It was surely an oversight rather ...

8. A Friend in Need: Recognizing Alberta's Outsized Contribution to Confederation

   Historically, Alberta has made an outsized contribution to Canada’s economy and federal public finances. This report quantifies Alberta’s role in Canada’s economic and fiscal well-being in recent years. Specifically, it shows that Alberta has contributed ...

9. Alberta in net debt for the first time in nearly 20 years

   The Government of Alberta released its 2016/17 Annual Report last week. The official deficit for that fiscal year totalled roughly $10.8 billion, bringing the province into a net debt position for the first time in nearly 20 years. The ...

10. Alberta private sector improving but government finances remain in bad shape

    Dave Mowat, president of ATB Financial, said recently that Alberta’s economy was “turning the corner” after a difficult year in 2016. His comment came as the Crown Corporation released its financial results for the past fiscal year. ...