Government Spending & Taxes

— Feb 7, 2023
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Taxes, Innovation, and Productivity Growth

Taxes, Innovation, and Productivity Growth is a new study that highlights the negative effect that higher corporate and personal income taxes have on innovation. In particular, Canada’s tax system is uncompetitive compared to those of other advanced economies—including the United States—when it comes to encouraging innovation-related activities, which in turn slows productivity growth, a key driver of higher living standards.

— Feb 2, 2023
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Federal and Provincial Debt-Interest Costs for Canadians, 2023 edition

Federal and Provincial Debt Interest Costs for Canadians, 2023 edition is a new study that finds Canadians in every province will pay more than $1,300 per person in 2022/23 on government interest costs, totalling $68.6 billion on interest payments for the federal and provincial debts.

— Jan 10, 2023
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The Growing Debt Burden for Canadians: 2023 Edition

The Growing Debt Burden for Canadians: 2023 Edition finds that not only has Canada’s projected combined government debt (the federal debt and the provincial debt of all 10 provinces) nearly doubled since 2007/08, the year before the last recession, but the combined debt now equals 74.6 per cent of the Canadian economy.

— Jan 5, 2023
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Broken Promises: The Persistence of Elevated Personal and Corporate Income Taxes in Ontario

Broken Promises: The persistence of elevated personal and corporate income taxes in Ontario is a new study that finds due to both federal and provincial tax hikes, Ontario now has the third highest top combined federal/provincial or federal/ state top income tax rate in Canada or the United States—having jumped from 46.41 per cent in 2012 to 53.53 per cent.

— Jan 4, 2023
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The End of Spending Restraint in British Columbia

The End of Spending Restraint in British Columbia finds that after a long period of relative spending restraint, the B.C. government significantly increased spending—even before any COVID-related spending began.

— Dec 6, 2022
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An Evaluation of Three Alternative Fiscal Anchors for Canada

An Evaluation of Three Alternative Fiscal Anchors for Canada is a new study that evaluates three fiscal rules that Canadian governments could adopt: (1) a debt reduction target, (2) a ceiling on the ratio of interest payments to revenues, and (3) a balanced budget rule (achieved by either spending restraint or tax increases).

— Nov 17, 2022
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Measuring the Fiscal Performance of Canada's Premiers, 2022

Measuring the Fiscal Performance of Canada's Premiers, 2022 is a new study that ranks Canadian premiers (seven current and four former) based on three fiscal policy categories: government spending, taxes, and deficits and debt up to the fiscal year 2021/22. Premiers who managed spending more prudently, balanced the budgets, and or paid down debt ranked higher.

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