non-wage benefits

As federal and many provincial governments continue to struggle with both deficits and finding ways to constrain spending, it’s odd that very little has been done on the compensation of public sector workers.

All told, TD Economics estimates that governments in Canada racked up $45.9 billion in deficits last year alone. Most governments in deficit continue to rely on a combination of trying to slow the growth in spending while hoping that revenues catch up.

More than three years after the end of the recession and Ontario’s provincial government continues to struggle with deficits, which as of the last quarterly update, will likely reach a staggering $14.8 billion. Relying on revenues to rebound enough to catch up with spending just doesn’t work as Ontario’s own history aptly demonstrates. Similarly, municipalities across the province continue to struggle to find sufficient resources for infrastructure needs while balancing their books.

When Alberta Premier Alison Redford took to the television screen the other night, she paid much attention to the revenue side of the government's books. On Alberta's massive budget deficit, the premier blamed the below-world price that Alberta-based companies receive for oil.