Search

Search results

1. Notley misdiagnoses Alberta’s fiscal problems and offers no workable solutions

   A clear takeaway from Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s recent state of the province address is that virtually all of Alberta’s fiscal woes can be blamed on depressed oil prices. The reality is different. While there’s no doubt that the ...

2. Canada’s high level of economic freedom at risk

   Economic freedom, the ability of individuals and families to make their own economic decisions free of interference from overly ambitious government or crony capitalists—is a core “Canadian value.” Canada ranks fifth in the world in this ...

3. William Watson: The bank will set you free?

   I live in a town in which, if you want to change the colour of your front door, you have to get the colour approved by the town. So when Canada comes fifth in the entire world in terms of economic freedom, as it does in the latest issue ...

4. Poor policy choices eroding economic freedom in Alberta

   Alberta has for many years been an example for other provinces in Canada, showing how to provide liberty and economic opportunity by embracing a tax and regulatory approach that promotes freedom and is conducive to human flourishing. Due ...

5. Emissions cap in Alberta—high cost, little benefit

   The Alberta government plans to cap greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the province at 100 megatonnes (Mt) annually. But before understanding the potential impacts of the cap, we need to understand how oilsands production might grow in ...

6. Fiscal update shows Alberta’s financial position deteriorating more rapidly than expected

   Alberta’s first-quarter fiscal update now expects that the provincial government’s operating deficit this year will be $10.9 billion, up from the previous $10.4 billion estimate from the budget in April. This will negatively affect the ...

7. Oilsands emissions cap—high cost, little benefit

   The Alberta government is currently in the process of implementing a 100 megatonne cap on greenhouse (GHG) emissions from oilsands production. A recent Fraser Institute study finds that this policy could come at a high cost and result in ...

8. New jobs numbers underscore need for improved investment climate in Alberta

   New Statistics Canada data show that Alberta’s unemployment rate climbed from 7.9 per cent to 8.6 per cent in July—the highest rate the province has experienced since 1994. While this is merely a snapshot of a single month, the ...

9. 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 ...

10. Uncontrolled spending driving Alberta government towards net debt position

    According to Alberta’s recently released annual report, the province’s operating deficit for the year was $6.4 billion—about $300 million more than projected by the Notley government in its October budget. Factor in capital spending ...