Having trouble viewing? Try the web version [link removed] of this email. Latest Research The Cost of Business Subsidies in Canada: Updated Edition [[link removed]]

In 2019, provincial business subsidies reached $27.0 billion ($2022). This represents the single largest year of provincial subsidies in Canadian history prior to COVID.

Read More [[link removed]] Electric Vehicles and the Demand for Electricity [[link removed]]

Governments are implementing measures to electrify transportation. In Canada, federal policy mandates that by 2035 all new passenger vehicles and light trucks sold have net zero emissions, ultimately leading to a fully electric fleet.

Read More [[link removed]] The Reality of Socialism: Poland | Mini-Documentary [[link removed]]

The Wall St. Journal’s Mary O’Grady, along with authors of a new book on the economic history of Poland, explore the experience of Polish people under socialist rule, and what happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This video is part of a new multimedia project, The Realities of Socialism, by the Fraser Institute in Canada, the Institute of Economic Affairs in the UK, the Institute of Public Affairs in Australia and the Fund for American Studies in the U.S.

Commentary and Blog Posts Reality check—Canadians remain mired in a recession [[link removed]] (Appeared in the Financial Post) By: Jason Clemens, Grady Munro, and Milagros Palacios

Almost all the media coverage of Statistics Canada’s recent economic report heralded the fact that Canada avoided a recession in the fourth quarter of 2023—the economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in the third quarter, so another decline at the end of the year would have technically meant a recession.

Governments should end corporate welfare this budget season [[link removed]] (Appeared in the Toronto Sun) By: Jake Fuss, Tegan Hill, and Joel Emes

It’s budget season, and many governments across Canada are in the red with deficits planned for this fiscal year and beyond. To rein in spending and move towards budget balance, governments should eliminate wasteful spending. Corporate welfare is a good place to start.

B.C. government sparks debt explosion with far-reaching consequences [[link removed]] By: Tegan Hill and Jason Clemens

The Eby government recently tabled its budget for fiscal year 2024-25. The budget, which includes an explosion of debt, is a generational error that could take more than a decade to rectify.

Ottawa’s pharmacare plan would likely reduce drug coverage for millions of Canadians [[link removed]] (Appeared in the Hill Times) By: Kristina M.L. Acri

Canadians are one step closer to national pharmacare. The Trudeau government and the NDP recently introduced the first piece of the plan.

Manitoba government wisely reverses course on plan to scrap exams [[link removed]] (Appeared in the Winnipeg Sun) By: Paige MacPherson and Michael Zwaagstra

Two weeks ago, the Kinew government told school superintendents and principals that it plans to cancel grade 10 and 12 provincial high school exams—and consequently, deprive parents, students, teachers and policymakers of valuable information about student progress and diminish accountability in the education system.

Federal government touts climate ‘crisis’ without sufficient supporting evidence [[link removed]] (Appeared in the Calgary Sun) By: Kenneth P. Green

Canada is, we are told, in a climate crisis. “Climate action can’t wait,” said Prime Minister Trudeau. “Together, we will beat this crisis while creating a green economy and new middle-class jobs for Canadians.”

Heritage Fund requires long-term commitment from Alberta government [[link removed]] By: Tegan Hill

In Budget 2024, the Smith government committed to building up the Heritage fund so its annual earnings can replace resource revenue in the budget, and ultimately reduce Alberta’s reliance on this volatile source of revenue.

B.C. government accelerates EV transition while consumers and carmakers hit the brakes [[link removed]] (Appeared in True North) By: Kenneth P. Green

There you are, the government of British Columbia, driving down the EV-transition highway, dreaming of the day that all cars will be electric, when suddenly the road is full of yellow warning signs and red lights showing your current speed and flashing SLOW DOWN.

Ontarians in big cities suffer from weak employment income growth [[link removed]] By: Ben Eisen

Ontario’s dismal economic performance throughout most of this century has been a topic of much discussion among economists and public policy analysts for years.

Yukon should match mining potential with better policy to attract investment [[link removed]] By: Julio Mejía and Elmira Aliakbari

You can’t overstate the importance of the mining sector for the Yukon. The mining of gold, silver, copper, nickel, zinc and lead constitute the largest industries in Canada’s westernmost territory, accounting for nearly all its exports.

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