Pharmacare bill offers too much ambiguity and too little ambition – The Hill Times
For decades, pharmacare has been a day late and a dollar short. How much did Bill C-64 change that?
Very few Canadians have no drug insurance, but a much larger number probably need more coverage. The lack of an integrated national drug system limits our ability to describe the unmet need, and this need is as important for that cohort as hospital and medical insurance is for everyone.
The new pharmacare bill, released Feb. 29, has “the aim of continuing to work toward the implementation of national universal pharmacare.” At the onset, it proposes universal, no-cost access to selected diabetes and contraception drugs and devices, along with work on a new national formulary, refinement of today’s bulk purchasing strategy,…
Bonnie Lysyk – Let’s Bring Full Spending Information into Budgets
From: Bonnie Lysyk To: Ontario taxpayers Date: April 10, 2024 Re: Let’s Bring Full Spending Information into Budgets It’s time for the Ontario government to provide better information to the public on service improvements and cuts and when its construction projects will be completed. Budget day is important for the government, but more so for the citizens that the […] As the Bank of Canada resists rate cuts, is it falling behind the curve again? – Globe and Mail
The latest data (from February) indicate that the battle against inflation is almost over. Despite the encouraging inflation data, the Bank of Canada again held its policy rate at 5 percent on Wednesday. What gives? The bank, like many other central banks, was slow off the mark to raise rates as inflation took off. We worry it runs the risk of falling behind the curve again.
First, let’s examine why the bank might be hesitating to cut – the housing market and fiscal policy. Then, let’s examine why, in our view, that’s not enough.
Year-over-year headline inflation dropped inside the bank’s 1-3 percent range in January, and continued to fall in February, sitting at 2.8 percent. Core inflation, which strips out more volatile…
Scenarios for Seniors’ Care: Future Challenges, Current Gaps and Strategies to Address Them
A surging population of seniors. A surging demand for their care. And constrained government financial resources. That is the conundrum Canada faces in the years ahead. Solutions are needed quickly to increase capacity and services for seniors, especially those most in need. This Commentary examines the availability of different housing and care options for seniors, […] Jeremy Kronick on BNN – If the BoC waits too long to cut rates, it may fall behind the curve
Jeremy Kronick, Associate Vice President and director of the Centre on Financial and Monetary Policy, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss the path for rate cuts in Canada, inflation and the fiscal policy.
Ten guides for grading next week’s federal budget – Financial Post
Canada’s fiscal situation is dire, with bloated spending, excessive borrowing and growth-stifling taxes. Canadians need a responsible federal budget — if not an A-grade fiscal plan, at least a solid B. It needs to do much better than the D we gave last fall’s fiscal statement.
Here are 10 guides we’ll be following in grading next week’s federal budget.
1. Timely release. On this one, a failing grade is already locked in. The budget arrives two weeks into the 2024-25 fiscal year for which it is supposedly the plan and six weeks after the Main Estimates. That means money is being spent without proper parliamentary scrutiny.
2. Cut the spin and give us the figures. Recent budgets have run several hundred pages, but…
Tingting Zhang – Watch Out How Many STEM Workers We Are Admitting
To: Immigration policymakers From: Tingting Zhang Date: April 9, 2024 Re: Watch out how many STEM workers we are admitting The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce plays a crucial role in Canada’s economy, vital for innovation, technological development, automation, infrastructure, and a green economy. And rising demand means Canada has experienced a STEM skill shortage. […] Seniors’ Care Surge Will Require Smart Policies
Canada is facing a surging population of seniors, which is exacerbating demand for specialized seniors’ care amid constrained government financial resources, says a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. We need smart policies now to increase supply of services…John Lester – The federal expenditure management system needs a makeover
From: John Lester To: Members of the Treasury Board Date: April 8, 2024 Re: The federal expenditure management system needs a makeover The federal expenditure management system looks good on paper. Transparency is served by publication of five-year spending plans for major spending categories in the annual budget and detailed information in the main estimates and departmental plans. Efficiency […]Ontario’s 2024 Budget Gets a B with Bill Robson
Populist budgets don’t get A+ grades. But why? And what’s wrong with the budget Ontario’s Conservative government recently tabled? The C.D. Howe Institute’s Bill Robson tells Michael Hainsworth that it’s about more than just deficit spending.
Esam Hussein – Nuclear is Coming Back. What About Canada’s Fuel Supply Chain?
To: Canadian Nuclear Observers From: Esam Hussein Date: April 5, 2024 Re: Nuclear is Coming Back. What About Canada’s Fuel Supply Chain? Canada appears on the verge of a nuclear-power renaissance instigated by the need for reliable carbon-free energy, with the provinces and the federal government putting their weight behind a wide range of initiatives. How did we get here […] C.D. Howe Institute Monetary Policy Council Calls for Bank of Canada to Hold Overnight Rate at 5.00 Percent, Cut to 3.50 Percent by April 2025
April 4, 2024 – The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council (MPC) calls for the Bank of Canada to maintain its target for the overnight rate, its benchmark policy interest rate, at 5.00 percent at its next announcement on April 10th. The MPC further calls for the Bank to lower the target to 4.75 at the following announcement in June, on the way to a target of 3.50 percent by April of 2025.
The MPC provides an independent assessment of the monetary stance consistent with the Bank of Canada’s 2…