Government Spending

Industrial Policy as Zombie Economics

— Sep 27, 2024

Industrial Policy as Zombie Economics is a new study that finds the “new” industrial policy model of increased partnerships between government and private sector, which is being pursued across developed countries, is likely to fail just as previous industrial policies failed. In particular, capital markets—and not government—are best positioned and incentivized to determine how financial capital and other productive inputs should be allocated in order to promote real economic growth and higher standards of living.

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Media Coverage of Federal Spending Announcements on Child Care, Pharma Care, and Dental Care

— Sep 26, 2024

Media Coverage of Federal Spending Announcements on Child Care, Pharma Care, and Dental Care a content analysis of CTV and CBC television news coverage from 2021 to 2024, finds that of all the coverage that focused on the three new government programs, just 4.1 per cent of CTV coverage, and just 3.7 per cent of CBC television coverage reported the specific costs of the programs.

Understanding the Scale of Canada’s Federal Deficit

— Sep 17, 2024

Understanding the Scale of Canada’s Federal Deficit finds that continuous annual borrowing by Ottawa to finance increased spending has driven federal total debt up to an expected 69.8 per cent of the economy or $2.1 trillion in 2024/25—and analyzes how in debt Canadian families would be if they spent and borrowed the same way.

Education Spending in Public Schools in Canada, 2024 Edition

— Aug 22, 2024

Education Spending in Public Schools in Canada, 2024 Edition finds that despite common misperceptions, per-student spending on public schools increased in six of the 10 provinces over a 10-year period (after adjusting for inflation).

Caution Required When Comparing Canada's Debt to that of Other Countries, 2024 Edition

— Aug 15, 2024

Caution Required When Comparing Canada’s Debt to that of Other Countries, 2024 Edition finds that Canada’s relative debt position, instead of being the best of the G7, falls significantly when total debt is measured instead of measuring debt after adjusting for financial assets.

Understanding Alberta’s Outsized Contribution to Confederation

— Aug 13, 2024

Understanding Alberta’s Outsized Contribution to Confederation finds that from 2007 and 2022, Albertans’ contributed $244.6 billion to the federal government in taxes and other payments in excess of the money Ottawa spent or transferred to Alberta – more than five times as much as was contributed (on net) by either British Columbians or Ontarians.

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Recent Government Spending Commentaries and Blog Posts

Federal government should listen to Canadians and trim the bureaucracy

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, October 2, 2024

From 2015 to March 2024, the number of federal employees grew from 257,034 to 367,772.

Federal government crushing private-sector child care in Ontario

Matthew Lau

Appeared in the Hill Times, October 1, 2024

The government is pouring billions into subsidizing child care, artificially inflating demand.

CBC and CTV fail to ask key questions about Ottawa’s big three social programs

Lydia Miljan

Appeared in the Financial Post, September 26, 2024

The cost of the three programs comprised a mere 4.1 per cent of CTV’s coverage and 3.7 per cent of CBC’s coverage.

If you spent and borrowed like Ottawa you’d be in big trouble

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

Appeared in National Newswatch, September 25, 2024

Federal gross debt will reach a projected $2.1 trillion this year, nearly double the $1.1 trillion held in 2015/16.

Albertans can’t afford supersized spending promise without spending reductions

Tegan Hill

Appeared in the Calgary Sun, September 21, 2024

The government plans to quadruple spending on school construction from $2.1 billion to $8.6 billion.

Child care in B.C.—long on government proclamations, short on spaces

Matthew Lau

Appeared in the Vancouver Province, September 20, 2024

Eighty-four per cent of parents with young children agreed that long wait lists remain a problem in the province.

Ford government continues irresponsible fiscal management in Ontario

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

In 2023/24, the province's net debt reached $408 billion.

B.C. government’s record-breaking deficit even worse than it appears

Ben Eisen, Tegan Hill

Appeared in True North, September 19, 2024

Once you factor in capital spending, the province's debt increases by $18.9 billion this year.

British Columbia adding government debt faster than any other province

Ben Eisen

By 2029/30, B.C. is on track to have more government debt per person than Quebec and Ontario.

Parliament should work toward budget balance for sake of Canadians

Jake Fuss, Grady Munro

Appeared in the Hub, September 17, 2024

Since 2015/16, federal gross debt has approximately doubled from $1.1 trillion to an expected $2.1 trillion this year.