Government Spending & Taxes

— May 24, 2018

The Decline of the Other Alberta Advantage: Debt Service Costs in Alberta Are Rising finds that every Albertan will pay, on average, $442 this year in interest on the province’s growing debt, compared to just $58 a decade ago. And if the province’s debt trend continues, debt-servicing costs may exceed $1,000 per person within the next 10 years.

Time for Tax Reform in Ontario

— Apr 24, 2018

Time for Tax Reform in Ontario finds that if Ontario replaced its current seven-tier tax rate system with a single personal income tax rate of eight per cent and reduced its corporate income tax rate from 11.5 per cent to 8 per cent, it would be one of the most competitive pro-growth tax jurisdictions, which would help the province compete for business investment and skilled labour with neighbouring U.S. jurisdictions.

Why Is Alberta’s Deficit Still So Big?

— Mar 27, 2018

Why Is Alberta’s Deficit Still So Big? finds that the province’s $8.8 billion deficit this year is not primarily due to low oil prices, but is largely a product of the Notley government’s spending decisions. In fact, if the current government had adhered to the spending plan it inherited from its predecessor laid out in the 2015 budget, the deficit today would be approximately $3 billion—less than half of the deficit actually posted in the recent provincial budget.

Subsidized Daycare—What British Columbia Can Learn from Quebec’s 20-Year Experiment

— Mar 22, 2018

Subsidized Daycare—What British Columbia Can Learn from Quebec’s 20-Year Experiment finds that policymakers in B.C. should learn from Quebec’s government-subsidized daycare program, which has proven costly for taxpayers, has not paid for itself and has experienced mixed child development outcomes.

Back on Track: How the Federal Liberals Can Deliver Their Promised Balanced Budget by 2019/20

— Feb 23, 2018

Back on Track: How the Federal Liberals Can Deliver Their Promised Balanced Budget by 2019/20 finds that a modest one per cent reduction in program spending—spread out over two years—would achieve budget balance. Incidentally, since coming into office in 2015, the federal Liberals have increased program spending by 20.1 per cent ($51 billion) in just three years.

Will British Columbia’s New NDP Government Abandon Past Spending Discipline?

— Feb 14, 2018

Will B.C.’s New NDP Government Abandon Past Spending Discipline? finds that British Columbia currently enjoys one of the strongest fiscal positions in Canada because of modest spending growth. In fact, over a 15-year period starting in 2001/02, successive provincial governments in B.C. increased spending, on average, 3.5 per cent annually—the lowest level of spending growth during that time period of any province.

Repeating Past Mistakes? Spending Restraint Critical for Ontario’s Fiscal Health

— Feb 6, 2018

Repeating Past Mistakes? Spending Restraint Critical for Ontario’s Fiscal Health finds that the Ontario government is ramping up program spending by more than $7 billion this year, or nearly six per cent—more than three times higher than the average increase in the years following the 2009 recession.

Recent Government Spending & Taxes Commentaries and Blog Posts

Minister McKenna wrong on relationship between carbon taxes and growth

Ben Eisen

Minister McKenna is wrong to imply that policy action on emissions is a necessary condition for economic growth in Canada.

Trudeau government carbon-pricing plan not in line with Nobel Prize-winning analysis

Ross McKitrick

Appeared in the National Post, October 16, 2018

Federal plan adds more regulations to the mix—then sticks a carbon tax on top.

Municipal spending on the rise across Metro Vancouver

Josef Filipowicz

Metro Vancouverites will go to the polls later this month.

Alberta’s debt may eclipse 100 per cent of GDP

Steve Lafleur

The last provincial budget estimated the government will run deficits until 2023/24.

Municipal spending in Ontario—a snaphot

Livio Di Matteo

The average annual growth rates in household income range from a high of 4.1 per cent for Timmins to a low of -0.1 per cent for Windsor.

City size doesn’t determine spending habits in Metro Vancouver

Josef Filipowicz

At $1,944 per resident, Vancouver is the third highest spender regionwide.

Quebecers probably felt—and still feel—they don’t get what they pay for

Yanick Labrie

Quebecers elected the Coalition Avenir Québec with an overwhelming majority.

Rule of law, limited government key to economic freedom in the U.S. and around the world

Fred McMahon

Appeared in The Hill, October 4, 2018

Since 2000, the U.S. has seen the size of government grow and trade freedom diminish.

The Magic Carbon Dividend Plan—yes, it’s too good to be true

Ross McKitrick

Appeared in the National Newswatch, October 4, 2018

New taxes on businesses drive away jobs and investment.

Now in power, will the Ford government make the tough decisions on spending

Ben Eisen

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, October 3, 2018

Government-sector employees in Ontario are paid approximately 13 per cent more than comparable private-sector workers.

Tax hikes squeezing various elements of Alberta society

Kenneth P. Green

Appeared in the Calgary Sun, October 3, 2018

If Prime Minister Trudeau has his way, carbon taxes will rise to $50/tonne of emissions by 2022.

Trudeau government must act now on trade, taxes as possible recession looms

Livio Di Matteo

Appeared in the Moncton Times & Transcript, September 28, 2018

Canada’s unemployment rate in August rose to six per cent with Ontario leading the way, losing about 80,000 jobs.

Dear Premier Ford, please look forward—not back

Livio Di Matteo, Ben Eisen

Appeared in Maclean's, September 26, 2018

If the government exercises spending restraint, it can eliminate Ontario’s $15 billion deficit in roughly three years.

Interpret new carbon tax study with caution

Elmira Aliakbari, Ashley Stedman

Study assumes the new carbon tax will shift the tax burden from households to businesses without putting businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

Ontario has a $15 billion deficit—not the $6.7 billion claimed by the previous government

Livio Di Matteo

Since 1990-91, the province has run deficits 20 out of 27 years.

Morneau reduces government revenue, punishes charities by penalizing the 1%

Niels Veldhuis, Jason Clemens

Appeared in the Toronto Sun, September 20, 2018

Tax revenue collected from the top one per cent in Canada fell by $4.9 billion in 2016.

Alberta’s higher taxes, rapid debt accumulation and higher minimum wages are hurting workers

Charles Lammam, Brennan Sorge

Compared to people in other provinces, Albertans are more likely to experience long spells of unemployment.

Research Experts

Jason Clemens

Executive Vice President, Fraser Institute
Philip Cross

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Pierre Desrochers

Associate Professor of Geography, University of Toronto
Livio Di Matteo

Professor of Economics, Lakehead University
Ben Eisen

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Joel Emes

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Stephen Kirchner

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Steve Lafleur

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
Hugh MacIntyre

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
Robert P. Murphy

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Milagros Palacios

Associate Director, Addington Centre for Measurement, Fraser Institute
Niels Veldhuis

President, Fraser Institute
Michael Walker

Chairman, Fraser Institute Foundation & Founding Executive Director of the Fraser Institute
William Watson

Professor of Economics, McGill University

Search form

Government Spending & Taxes

The Decline of the Other Alberta Advantage: Debt Service Costs in Alberta Are Rising

Time for Tax Reform in Ontario

Why Is Alberta’s Deficit Still So Big?

Subsidized Daycare—What British Columbia Can Learn from Quebec’s 20-Year Experiment

Back on Track: How the Federal Liberals Can Deliver Their Promised Balanced Budget by 2019/20

Will British Columbia’s New NDP Government Abandon Past Spending Discipline?

Repeating Past Mistakes? Spending Restraint Critical for Ontario’s Fiscal Health

Research Experts