— Mar 3, 2020

Comparing Government and Private Sector Compensation in Quebec, 2020

Comparing Government and Private Sector Compensation in Quebec finds that public-sector employees in the Quebec—including municipal, provincial and federal government workers—received 9.2 per cent higher wages on average than comparable workers in the private sector last year, and also enjoyed more generous pensions, earlier retirement, more personal leave and greater job security.

Alberta’s Lost Advantage on Personal Income Tax Rates

— Feb 20, 2020

Alberta’s Lost Advantage on Personal Income Tax Rates finds that the province’s top combined personal income tax rate is now more than 10 percentage points higher than the top rate in several other energy-producing jurisdictions. Whereas in 2014, Alberta’s top PIT rate was the lowest in North America, now it is the 10th highest following tax increases by the provincial and federal governments, and a reduction of the federal top rate in the U.S.

Interest Costs and their Growing Burden on Canadians

— Feb 19, 2020

Interest Costs and their Growing Burden on Canadians finds that in fiscal year 2019-20, Ottawa will spend more than $24 billion on federal debt interest payments, as the federal debt has increased by more than $260 billion since the 2008-09 recession. The study also compares government debt interest costs among provinces.

Uneven Recovery: Job Creation in Ontario’s Urban Centres between 2008 and 2018

— Feb 6, 2020

Uneven Recovery: Job Creation in Ontario’s Urban Centres between 2008 and 2018, which compares the job-creation numbers of various regions across Ontario, finds that 90.8 per cent of all net job-creation in the province since the 2008/09 recession occurred in the GTA and Ottawa.

Refining Alberta’s Equalization Gambit

— Jan 28, 2020

Refining Alberta’s Equalization Gambit argues that, despite popular misconceptions (particularly in Central Canada), Alberta can compel other provinces and the federal government to negotiate aspects of the Constitution including equalization. The essay cites past Supreme Court judgments and germane sections of the Constitution Act, 1982.

The Growing Debt Burden for Canadians

— Jan 16, 2020

The Growing Debt Burden for Canadians finds that, since 2007/08, the year before the last recession, combined federal and provincial debt has grown from $837.0 billion to a projected $1.5 trillion in 2019/20. The study also breakdowns provincial debt burdens based on several different measures.