Ontario racks up debt while ‘Rust Belt’ states largely balance their books

TORONTO—Despite a faster-growing stronger economy, Ontario has racked up more government debt than the nearby “Rust Belt” states in the U.S., finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. The study, Ontario vs. the U.S. “Rust Belt”: Coping with a Changing Economic World, compares the economic and fiscal performance of Ontario and Quebec with Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois between 1999 and 2013.

“Since the 2008 recession, Ontario has consistently recorded large budget deficits, ballooning the province’s already enormous debt. Some policymakers blame forces beyond Ontario’s control yet seem to ignore the fiscal irresponsibility at Queen’s Park,” said Niels Veldhuis, study co-author and president of the Fraser Institute. Between 1999 and 2013, with an annual average GDP growth rate of 1.9 per cent, Ontario outperformed every Rust Belt state. By comparison, Michigan’s dismal economy actually shrank (-0.2 per cent). On the job front, during that same 14-year period, Ontario outperformed all Rust Belt states in private-sector employment growth (1.2 per cent) doubling the average annual rate in Pennsylvania, which had the highest rate of job growth in the Rust Belt. And yet, despite its comparative economic strength, Ontario amassed far more government debt than every single Rust Belt state. As of 2011-12, Ontario’s debt was 36 per cent of the province’s GDP. Every Rust Belt state, by comparison, ended the 14-year period with 5 per cent or less in government debt.

---

Ontario’s fiscal problems stem mainly from poor policy at Queen’s Park

Policymakers in Ontario often blame the province’s poor fiscal performance on external forces such as a fluctuating Canadian dollar and global restructuring in manufacturing. But according to the study, some Rust Belt states maintain larger manufacturing sectors than Ontario, and subsequently are more sensitive to changes in the manufacturing sector. “If the changing nature of global manufacturing could explain the debt and deficits in Ontario, then we’d see similar problems in the Rust Belt, but we don’t,” said Jason Clemens, study co-author and Fraser Institute vice-president. In reality, Ontario’s fiscal problems stem mainly from poor policy at Queen’s Park. For example, during the 14-year period, average government spending (as a share of GDP) in Ontario (17 per cent) was higher than any Rust Belt state, dwarfing government spending in Illinois (10.2 per cent) and Indiana (11.5 per cent). “Despite the global shakeup in manufacturing, Rust Belt states have largely balanced their books. The red ink in Ontario stems from bad policy, and there are lessons to be learned from the Rust Belt,” Clemens said. Niels Veldhuis is in Toronto and available to media. Jason Clemens is in Vancouver. MEDIA CONTACTS: Niels Veldhuis, President, Fraser Institute For interviews with Mr. Veldhuis, please contact Aanand Radia: aanand.radia@fraserinstitute.org Jason Clemens, Executive vice-president, Fraser Institute jason.clemens@fraserinstitute.org, @FraserInstitute