Canada’s median health-care wait time hits 30 weeks—longest ever recorded

Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2024 finds that Canadian patients in 2024 waited longer than ever for medical treatment.

Canadian generosity hits lowest point in 20 years

Generosity in Canada: The 2024 Generosity Index finds that the number of Canadians donating to charity—as a percentage of all tax filers—is at the lowest point in 20 years: just 17.1 per cent, which is the lowest proportion of Canadians donating since at least 2002.

16 of 38 OECD countries (about 40%) have shifted towards funded retirement plans based on private savings that, unlike government tax-and-transfer plans, are immune to cost increases from aging populations

Retirement Income Systems in OECD Member States is a new study that finds, unlike Canada, a number of industrialized countries are moving towards funded pension plans that use private savings. Where government tax-and-transfer retirement plans become more expensive as populations age, funded plans are immune from cost increases as a result of demographic changes and can also boost economic growth.

Commentary and Blog Posts

Ottawa once again defends egregious mismanagement during COVID

(Appeared in the Calgary Sun) by Jake Fuss and Tegan Hill

Nearly 10 per cent—or $3.5 billion—of the federal government’s COVID loans went to ineligible businesses.

Trump tariff proposal would devastate Ontario economy

(Appeared in the Ottawa Sun) by Ben Eisen

More than three-quarters of the province's international trade is with the U.S.

Quebec government’s plan to fine doctors may backfire horribly

(Appeared in the Hub) by Steven Globerman and Bacchus Barua

Quebecers are willing to pay for private care, which suggests that patients value the private system.

Can B.C.’s new finance minister bring some discipline to provincial finances?

by Tegan Hill and Ben Eisen

The government expects to run massive budget deficits in each of the next three fiscal years.

Saskatchewan government must follow through on standardized testing pledge

(Appeared in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix) by Michael Zwaagstra

The province's students are now more than two grade levels behind in math and reading compared to 20 years ago.

B.C. government must do a 180 on fiscal policy

(Appeared in the Victoria Times Colonist) by Ben Eisen

This spending boom is the reason B.C. may soon become one of Canada’s most indebted provinces.

New Brunswick government should focus on growth, growth, growth

(Appeared in the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal) by Alex Whalen

In Maine the median earner takes home $10,504 more than the median worker in New Brunswick.

Economics professor offers grossly misleading analysis of inequality in Canada

(Appeared in the Financial Post) by Philip Cross

In Canada, the top 1 per cent’s share of income has fallen since 2007.

Federal government out of touch with economic reality in Canada

(Appeared in National Newswatch) by Jake Fuss and Grady Munro

The private sector pays for the government sector, primarily through taxes.

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