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Published in the The Montreal Gazette on May 25, 2012 By Ian Irvine and William Sims When shopping, consumers pay attention to the costs of similar products – say, generic vs. brand-name foods. The same is true for smokers: higher prices on legal cigarettes can increase an individual’s preference for cheaper, often contraband smokes. As provinces look to claw out of their budget…

From: Martin Eichenbaum, Michelle Alexopoulos and Jeremy M. Kronick To: Canadians concerned about prosperity Date: August 14, 2024 Re: Lagging Productivity not Just a Number, it’s Making us Poorer Since 1985, US labour productivity has grown by roughly 100 percent. In sharp contrast, labour productivity in Canada is up 40 percent. Canadian workers are now only 70 percent as…

This week’s federal budget focuses on spending initiatives that, in the name of intergenerational fairness, it asks the wealthiest among us to pay for. A better way to finance new spending would be to arrest and reverse Canada’s growth and productivity challenges. Not only does the budget not do that, but its increase in the capital gains inclusion rate from 50 per cent to 66 per cent for…

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 government’s main estimates and departmental plans. Efficiency and effectiveness are served by setting objectives for program spending and requiring departments to report on the…

February 28, 2024 – Alberta’s plan to withdraw from the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) in favour of establishing its own Alberta Pension Plan (APP) would gamble on the retirement security of Canadians, affecting individuals both within Alberta and across the nation, says a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Pension Roulette: The Risks and Consequences of Alberta Leaving the CPP," author…

To: The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance From: Alexandre Laurin and Nicholas Dahir Date: January 8, 2024 Re:  Charities Fall Victim to Federal Tax-the-Rich Plan The end of 2023 last week marked the likely end of full tax relief for some charitable giving. The federal government has yet to table its legislation for reforming the alternative minimum tax (AMT), but if…