Instead of asking for more money and all the strings that come attached, the provinces should ask for more freedom to try new delivery models
By Bacchus Barua and Ben Eisen The Fraser Institute Despite their differences, it seems Canada’s premiers are united in one thing: demanding more federal health-care dollars. But nobody talked about the price the premiers must pay for the money from Ottawa: the freedom to design and implement policies that could actually improve care. At the…
Despite excellent recent PISA results, Canadians shouldn’t be complacent. From 2015 to 2018, scores fell in all three subjects
Canada’s 15-year-old students continue to do well on the gold standard of academic testing, but with some concerns. The Programme for International Student Achievement (PISA) has randomly tested students worldwide every three years since 2000. It recently released results from reading, math and science tests completed by some half-a-million students in 79 countries in 2018.…
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is following in the footsteps of his father. That’s leading to fiscal calamity and regional dissent
By Jason Clemens, Milagros Palacios and Niels Veldhuis The Fraser Institute As the dust settles from the federal election – which further exacerbated Western frustration, if not outright separatist sentiments – it’s worth considering the policy ebbs and flows of the Liberal Party under Pierre Trudeau and his son Justin. Therein lies the explanation and…
Less red tape and shorter decision timelines would improve Alberta’s investment environment and free up AER’s resources
By Steven Globerman and Jairo Yunis The Fraser Institute In September, Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage announced a formal government review of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and replaced the AER’s board of directors with an interim panel. AER’s mandate is governing structure and operational practices in the industry. Since the announcement, several independent investigations…
Property tax rates are much higher for businesses than home owners, which can cause serious problems, particularly when the economy falters
By Josef Filipowicz and Steven Globerman The Fraser Institute When homeowners receive their annual property tax bill from city hall, they’re likely unaware that the shop down the street pays a higher property tax rate – probably much higher. For example, according to a new Fraser Institute study, in the Calgary area, the average commercial…
Work on risk assessment, and policy choices that follow, needs to be examined with a more realistic eye
Now that the federal election is over, the government of Justin Trudeau (perhaps now in closer concert with parties across the aisle) will continue its climate policy program. It’s therefore worth noting the recent tragic death of Harvard economist Martin Weitzman has underscored his work on climate risk assessment, which many climate activists use to…
Property tax imbalance erodes political accountability, discourages business investment and ultimately hurts employment
By Josef Filipowicz and Steven Globerman The Fraser Institute In many cities and towns across Canada, residential properties are increasing in value, while some local businesses are struggling to survive. There are different reasons for this development, including factors well beyond our borders. But in most of those municipalities, business property tax rates are higher…
To listen to the teacher unions and their supporters, the sky is about to fall if class sizes for secondary schools get bigger. The evidence shows they're dead wrong
Class war may soon break out in Canada. More than half of Canadian high school students are in Ontario or British Columbia. Teacher negotiations continue in both provinces with secondary school class sizes a central issue that could trigger strike action. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation wants to retain or lower high school class size limits…
The “local food” movement is mostly about connecting producers of expensive niche products with middle- and upper-middle class patrons
Across Ontario, “local food” activists continue to promote the economic, social and environmental virtues of small local alternative farms, community gardens, backyard henhouses and older, less efficient and more expensive ways to produce food. In response, the Ontario government – directly or through organizations such as Foodland Ontario, the Greenbelt Fund and the Trillium Foundation…
Among the possible consequences are higher deficits, bigger government, a rise in regional tensions and a fractured nation
In the final days of election 2019, talk of minority government and the possibility of a Liberal/NDP coalition has dominated the headlines, with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh declaring that, “People should know that New Democrats aren’t going to work with putting in a Conservative government. We’re not going to do that.” Of course, whether the…
By Bacchus Barua and Ben Eisen The Fraser Institute Despite their differences, it seems Canada’s premiers are united in one thing: demanding more federal health-care dollars. But nobody talked about the price the premiers must pay for the money from Ottawa: the freedom to design and implement policies that could actually improve care. At the…
