Health tax will reduce wages and job opportunities, and further erode the province’s investment climate
By Charles Lammam and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute B.C. Finance Minister Carole James called Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums “unfair” and argued in a news release that her government’s replacement Employer Health Tax (EHT) is a “much fairer and progressive approach.” More broadly, Premier John Horgan government’s rhetoric about the new tax suggests it…
CPP expansion could result in a reduction in domestic investment up to $114 billion from 2019 to 2030
By Charles Lammam and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute Canada has a growing investment problem. Business investment (excluding residential structures like houses and condos) has dropped nearly 20 per cent since 2014. The level of business investment (as a share of the economy) in Canada is now second lowest among 17 advanced countries. Meanwhile, foreign…
More seniors means slower economic growth and more spending on programs like health care. But some careful fiscal management can save us
By Taylor Jackson, and Jason Clemens The Fraser Institute The latest Finance Department fiscal update signals the federal government’s continued preference for running budget deficits, regardless of the state of the economy. Similarly, eight of 10 Canadian provinces are running budget deficits in 2016-17. The lack of fiscal prudence coast to coast raises serious concerns about…
If electricity prices keep rising at their current rate, the trade-offs that families have to make will become increasingly difficult to manage
By Taylor Jackson, Ashley Stedman, and Elmira Aliakbari The Fraser Institute Ontarians are all too familiar with the rising cost of electricity. They see it on their hydro bills every month. But just how much have prices increased and how do those bills compare to other Canadian cities? We analyzed electricity prices across Canada since 2008…
Voters of smaller parties are empowered disproportionately in minority governments, at the expense of the majority of voters, who tend to vote for a main party
By Lydia Miljan and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute The alliance between Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver and John Horgan, premier-designate and NDP leader, will be central to the new government in British Columbia. Political alliances, however, are not formed on good graces. Weaver has some well-publicized demands, which reportedly include official party status for the Greens…
Because electoral reform was not a major issue in the recent election campaign, the Green Party can't claim a legitimate mandate for change without public input
By Lydia Miljan and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute British Columbia’s recent election may be the last under a first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system. Why? Because the New Democrats needed the support of the Green Party to form a majority coalition, and as a condition of their support, the Greens demanded that the province’s electoral system…
Spending on exploration – the lifeblood of the industry – dropped for the fourth consecutive year and is at its lowest point since 2005
By Kenneth P. Green and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute In recent years, depressed commodity prices have plagued Canada’s mining industry. One recent report showed that spending on exploration – the lifeblood of the industry – dropped for the fourth consecutive year and is at its lowest point since 2005. Amid conditions like these, when…
B.C.’s "revenue neutral" carbon tax will result in a cumulative $865 million tax increase on British Columbians between 2013/14 and 2018/19
By Charles Lammam and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute In a major announcement last year, the Trudeau government imposed a policy that will require all provinces to put a price on carbon emissions by 2018. As governments in Canada and elsewhere pursue carbon pricing, British Columbia’s carbon tax has received global praise as the gold…
Before any changes are made or any referendums held, Canadians must understand that many of the proposed alternatives come with drawbacks
By Lydia Miljan and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute WINDSOR, Ont. Feb. 15, 2017 /Troy Media/ – The federal government is walking away from its campaign promise to change the way Canadians vote in federal elections. Given that the task was always going to be complicated and the results messy, the decision is understandable. In his recently-released mandate…
Alberta’s continuing decline in the eyes of investors should be cause for concern
By Kenneth P. Green and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s approval last week of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline to B.C.’s coast and Enbridge’s Line 3 replacement to the United States came as welcome news for Alberta’s oil patch. The oil-and-gas industry has been reeling from job losses and depressed commodity…
