The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of 86 think-tanks. Its mission is to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals. To protect the Institute’s independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit Top 20% of Canadian income-earning families pay more than half of all taxes
CALGARY—The top 20 per cent of income-earning families pay more than half (54.7 per cent) of total taxes including personal income, sales and property taxes, according to a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent non-partisan Canadian think tank.
“Despite the common misperception that top earners don’t pay their ‘fair share’ of taxes, in reality these households pay a disproportionately large share of the total tax bill,” said Tegan Hill, economist at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Measuring Progressivity in Canada’s Tax System.
- Thursday, August 5, 2021
TORONTO—Countries around the world are pursuing climate policies that will do more harm through economic and social costs than good, according to a new analysis by the Fraser Institute, an independent non-partisan Canadian think tank.
VANCOUVER—As more and more Canadians embrace working from home—a trend that is forecasted to continue even after COVID—labour laws and regulations across Canada no longer fit the needs of modern work models such as telecommuting, according to a new analysis by the Fraser Institute, an independent non-partisan Canadian think tank.
CALGARY—Despite a growing economy, Canadians generate less waste on a per-person basis than we did in 2002, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“While Canada’s population and economy have grown, the proportion of waste we generate has actually declined,” said Elmira Aliakbari, director of the Centre for Natural Resource Studies at the Fraser Institute and co-author of 
VANCOUVER—Provinces and states such as Ontario, California and New York whose populations have grown beyond 9.5 million people tend to have higher levels of government spending, higher taxes and less flexible labour markets, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“Government spending and taxes, and labour market flexibility, or what has been referred to as economic freedom is linked high levels of prosperity, economic growth and overall well-being,” said Professor Russell Sobel, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of 
VANCOUVER—Federal government interest costs could increase to $35 billion in 2021-22, an increase of $13 billion, if costs return to 2019-20 levels, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“If interest costs increase, governments across Canada could see their already large budget deficits grow even larger,” said Jake Fuss, senior economist at the Fraser Institute and co-author of 
CALGARY—To increase Indigenous ownership in the oil industry, First Nations should focus on small and medium-sized projects rather than mega-projects that require massive assistance from government, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“The energy industry, and particularly the oil sector remains Canada’s leading private-sector source of high-paying jobs and contracts for Indigenous people, so greater cooperation among First Nations and the industry will increase opportunity in communities that need it badly,” said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow and author of 
VANCOUVER—Paying hospitals based on services provided to patients, instead of allocating pre-defined annual budgets, could improve the quantity and quality of health care services while reducing wait times for Canadians, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
TORONTO—The current Ontario government is continuing its immediate predecessors’ failed approach of slowing spending growth as a means towards a balanced budget, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“Despite criticisms of past governments, the Ford government has generally continued the fiscal policies of the McGuinty and Wynne governments with respect to spending and debt,” said Ben Eisen, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of Ford Government Fiscal Policy Approach Mirrors that of McGuinty and Wynne.
VANCOUVER—A detailed statistical analysis of nearly 200 countries and their experiences with and responses to COVID-19 found that Canada ranked poorly compared to other industrialized countries on testing and hospital beds, which were determined to be key in responding to COVID-19, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
VANCOUVER—The idea that the Bank of Canada can continue to finance government debt by printing money without a clear commitment to repayment, known as Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), poses enormous risks to the Canadian economy, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“Modern monetary theory is a pipe dream, and if the federal government and Bank of Canada go down this road, the damage to the Canadian economy could be substantial,” said Steven Globerman, resident scholar at the Fraser Institute and author of 
VANCOUVER—Canadian patients are waiting, on average, more than 450 days longer than Americans and Europeans to access new, potentially life-saving drugs, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“Innovative new medicines can have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of those suffering from illness. Unfortunately, Canadians are often denied these benefits for months, if not years, waiting for government to approve drugs already deemed safe and effective by regulators in the European Union and United States,” said Bacchus Barua, Associate Director of Health Policy Studies at the Fraser Institute and author of 
VANCOUVER—Spending on taxpayer-funded federal income support programs for Canadians aged 65 and older are expected to reach $103.2 billion, an increase of 70 per cent, by 2030 as a result of Canada’s aging population, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
TORONTO—The average income, as measured by per person GDP, continues to be lower in Ontario by CA$16,607 compared to its regional American neighbours, and the gap is only getting worse, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
VANCOUVER—Virtually every other developed country with universal healthcare has moved to funding hospitals based on services provided to patients, while Canada remains one of only a handful of countries that funds hospitals primarily with lump sum payments, regardless of how many patients they treat, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
VANCOUVER—The continued aging of Canada’s population will reduce participation in the labour force, which in turn will hinder economic recovery and contribute to rising budget deficits for governments across the country, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan, Canadian public policy think-tank.
“The percentage of Canadians working or looking for work has continued to drop, even before COVID-19, and policymakers should understand the potential consequences,” said Philip Cross, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of 
VANCOUVER—Long waits for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians almost $2.8 billion in lost wages and productivity last year, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
Preliminary data suggest that an estimated 1.2 million patients waited for medically necessary treatment last year, and each lost an estimated $2,254 (on average) due to lost wages and reduced productivity during working hours.
VANCOUVER—The federal government is projected to spend $17,091 per Canadian in 2020/21, which is more than double what the government spent per person during the peak of the Second World War ($7,769) and nearly twice what was spent during the 2009 recession ($8,993), according to new research released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
And even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Ottawa was already spending at record per person levels.