Reading Time: 3 minutes The government’s claim that Alberta’s deficit is as big as it is because of forces outside of the province’s control is untrue
Author: Ben Eisen
Ben Eisen is a Senior Fellow in Fiscal and Provincial Prosperity Studies and former Director of Provincial Prosperity Studies at the Fraser Institute. He holds a BA from the University of Toronto and an MPP from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Policy and Governance. Prior to joining the Fraser Institute Mr. Eisen was the Director of Research and Programmes at the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies in Halifax. He also worked for the Citizens Budget Commission in New York City, and in Winnipeg as the Assistant Research Director for the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Mr. Eisen has published influential studies on several policy topics, including intergovernmental relations, public finance, and higher education policy.
Canada needs a strong Alberta economy
Reading Time: 3 minutes The recent census gives Canadians a sense of the outsized role Alberta has played in powering Canada’s economy
Despite big deficit, Alberta leads the country in spending growth
Reading Time: 3 minutes The provincial government has made no meaningful efforts to slow the rate of spending growth to stem the flood of red ink
Why Alberta can’t get a handle on its chronic deficits
Reading Time: 3 minutes The fundamental problem in Alberta is that spending growth over several years exceeds revenue growth, and is growing faster than other key economic metrics
Carbon tax exacerbates harm from other tax hikes in Alberta
Reading Time: 3 minutes The gradual increase in Alberta’s carbon tax in coming years will exacerbate the economic damage being done to the province
Yes, the Alberta tax advantage is gone
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Notley government’s decision to undermine Alberta’s tax advantage by increasing tax rates has harmed the province’s growth prospects
Feds should eliminate special tax preferences but ….
Reading Time: 3 minutes … not to simply increase revenue but to use the extra revenue to reduce overall tax rates
Alberta turns away from economic freedom
Reading Time: 3 minutes The government is ushering in policy changes that endanger the engine that has produced growth, job creation and prosperity
Ontario’s ‘recovery’ claims ignore lingering pain
Reading Time: 3 minutes Rosy rhetoric in economic statement just tells story of Greater Golden Horseshoe
How Texas avoided big deficits when oil prices fell
Reading Time: 3 minutes The narrative that the big deficits and run-up in debt now occurring in Alberta were unavoidable consequences of a fall in energy prices doesn’t withstand scrutiny