As Canadians watched this week’s presidential inauguration and the immediate aftereffects (which include a scuttled Keystone XL pipeline), many wonder what a Biden administration will mean for Canada. And for good reason. A dramatic change in governance in the United States will likely have significant implications for Canada so Canadian policymakers in both the private…
With escalating spending and a shrinking private sector due to the pandemic, Nova Scotia’s large government is a growing concern
By Alex Whalen and Steve Globerman The Fraser Institute The COVID-19 outbreak and economic downturn have produced a dramatic increase in government spending across the country. The federal and provincial governments have rolled out a variety of programs aimed to support businesses and individuals through these tumultuous times, in addition to extra public health-related expenses.…
By Jairo Yunis and Steven Globerman The Fraser Institute The Alberta government recently introduced Bill 22 (the Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act), delivering on a campaign promise to streamline regulations across the provincial government. While details aren’t yet clear, the bill proposes a whopping 14 legislative changes across six ministries. Proposed changes include removing residency…
By Steven Globerman and Jairo Yunis The Fraser Institute The Alberta government recently announced cuts to scores of jobs at the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), including operations staff, headquarter managers and field workers, as part of a major reorganization. The ostensible goal is to make the AER more efficient, effective and resilient by simplifying the…
In its sole reliance on government providing first-dollar coverage of medically necessary services, Canada’s health-care system is unique among high-income countries with universal health care. It also offers inferior service as a result. Virtually all high-income countries – including Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands – allow residents to use private insurance to pay for…
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…
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…
Prolonged slow economic growth begets social and political turmoil, as the expectations of many for a better standard of living are frustrated
In this federal election campaign, the parties have proposed numerous taxpayer-funded programs to address various ostensible social problems. But no major party has made economic growth a significant focus of its election campaign. The social problem areas cited include unaffordable education from preschool to post-secondary, a tax system that’s insufficiently progressive and provides too many…
Automation increases labour productivity and so raises the income levels of workers, who in turn acquire new skills to use and advance automation
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, the automation of tasks once done by humans has raised fears about machines putting humans out of work and creating mass poverty. Happily, history has repeatedly proven the doomsayers wrong. While automation has certainly led to declines in entire industries (and employment in those industries), the relationship between automation and…