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Fraser Institute

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 fraserinstitute.org. Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter | Like us on Facebook

Most Recent Articles by Fraser Institute:


Existing problems in EI shouldn’t be forgotten as reforms considered

VANCOUVER—The federal government has signalled that changes, perhaps major ones are on the way for the country’s Employment Insurance program but the existing problems with EI that pre-date the current recession shouldn’t be ignored or forgotten, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “EI pre-recession was riddled with problems including the exclusion of an increasing portion of workers and inequitable treatment of workers depending on their residence” said Jake Fuss, economist at the Fraser Institute and co-author of The Issues Facing Canada’s Employment Insurance Program.
- Thursday, August 13, 2020

Ontario hasn’t solved its electricity problems, just shifted them from consumers to taxpayers

TORONTO—The Ontario government has failed to fundamentally solve the province’s electricity problems and continues to shift the burden from consumers to taxpayers by subsidizing hydro rates, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Successive governments in Ontario have sought to subsidize the costs to produce and consume electricity in Ontario, which have had the effect of masking the true costs, and saddling taxpayers with increased public debt,” said Phillip Cross, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Ontario Government Perpetuates Poor Electricity Policy.
- Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Business investment in Canada propped up by housing in B.C. and Ontario; sharply declines in AB and SK; Quebec, Maritimes consistent laggards

VANCOUVER—Increasing business investment will be key to help Canada recover from the COVID recession, but provincial performance over the past 30 years show mixed results, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Business investment is crucial for improving productivity and increasing living standards, so it’s important to understand exactly how the provinces are faring to attract investment,” said Steven Globerman, a Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of Capital Investment in Canada's Provinces: A Provincial Report.
- Tuesday, July 28, 2020

American cities show that growing, prospering metropolitan areas can also be affordable to live in

VANCOUVER—Housing in Canada’s biggest cities became less affordable over a recent 10-year period, while housing actually became more affordable in many growing cities in the United States—including those with increasing populations and rising incomes, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
- Thursday, July 23, 2020

Access to affordable, abundant energy could be key to COVID recovery

CALGARY—Access to affordable, abundant energy will promote economic growth and help Canada recover from the COVID recession, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “There is a clear link between energy use and economic activity, and policies that constrain energy use, such as artificially higher prices, are harmful to economic growth,” said Elmira Aliakbari, associate director of the Fraser Institute’s natural resource studies and co-author of Stimulating Economic Growth Through Abundant Energy.
- Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Young Canadians living in high-income households eligible for nearly $12 billion in CERB payments

VANCOUVER—Young people living at home with their parents in households with at least $100,000 of income are eligible for as much as $11.8 billion in Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) payments, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “With the federal government running a deficit of $343 billion this year, every government dollar should target people genuinely in need, which doesn’t appear to be the case with CERB,” said Jason Clemens, executive vice-president of the Fraser Institute and co-author of CERB: Estimating the Number of Young People Eligible and Living with Parents.
- Thursday, July 16, 2020

Repealing Ontario’s “temporary” income tax hike would boost economic activity with minimal costs

TORONTO—Repealing Ontario’s eight-year-old and so-called “temporary” tax increase on professionals, entrepreneurs, and skilled workers would significantly increase economic activity—and cost very little in forgone tax revenues, finds a study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “To help Ontario recover from the COVID recession, the Ford government should spur economic activity and increase the province’s attractiveness for investment, entrepreneurs and high-skilled workers,” said Ben Eisen, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
- Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Canada’s comparatively weak intellectual property protections limit access to life-saving drugs

Canada’s comparatively weak intellectual property protections limit access to life-saving drugsVANCOUVER—Because Canada’s protection of intellectual property in the life sciences—including biology and biochemistry—lags behind other industrialized countries, Canadian patient access to potentially life-saving biologic medicines is comparatively limited, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Cutting-edge biologic drugs are treating previously untreatable conditions, often with fewer adverse effects, improving the health of patients and saving lives worldwide,” said Kristina Acri, associate professor of economics at Colorado College, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of Biologics and Biosimilars: A Primer.
- Thursday, July 9, 2020

Across all income levels, Canadians pay higher personal income taxes than Americans

VANCOUVER—Workers in Canada—across all income levels—pay higher personal income tax rates than workers in the United States, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Our high income tax rates can deter professionals, entrepreneurs and businessowners from working and investing in Canada, which is bad for the Canadian economy as we look to recover from the COVID recession,” said Tegan Hill, an economist at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Canada’s Rising Personal Tax Rates and Falling Tax Competitiveness, 2020.
- Tuesday, July 7, 2020

International group of think tanks denounces China’s encroachment on Hong Kong in open letter

TORONTO—An international group of think tanks from 35 nations and territories from around the world has penned an open letter condemning the actions of the Communist Party of China and supporting the people of Hong Kong. On Tuesday, China’s National People’s Congress passed its controversial national security law, which violates Hong Kong’s Basic Law and encroaches on the city’s freedoms and liberties.
- Friday, July 3, 2020

20th century economist Joseph Schumpeter’s ideas can help Canada recover from recession

VANCOUVER—Opening up markets to competition and encouraging entrepreneurship—insights from economist Joseph Schumpeter nearly 100 years ago—are key to recovering from the current recession. A new book, the Essential Joseph Schumpeter (and its accompanying website and animated videos), published by the Fraser Institute, provides an accessible overview of Schumpeter’s key ideas including the importance of entrepreneurship to economic growth.
- Thursday, July 2, 2020

Just 5 spending categories out of 34 account for more than 60% of total increase in federal spending since 2015

VANCOUVER—Of 34 federal government departments, programs and agencies, just five—covering Indigenous affairs, child benefits, seniors’ benefits, Canada Health Transfer and defence—account for nearly two-thirds of the total increase in spending since 2015, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Understanding where the federal government has increased spending is an important step in developing a plan back to sustainable finances,” said Jason Clemens, executive vice-president of the Fraser Institute and co-author of Explaining the Growth in Federal Program Spending since 2015.
- Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Stimulus spending will not ‘kickstart’ economy, will increase government deficits and debt

VANCOUVER—New government spending in response to the recession will likely have little effect on economic growth—yet will produce more government debt, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “In the coming months, as governments contemplate trying to kickstart the economy with more spending, they should recognize that evidence indicates this approach is ineffective and results in more government debt,” said Jake Fuss, Fraser Institute economist and co-author of Is Fiscal Stimulus an Effective Policy Response to a Recession?
- Thursday, June 25, 2020

Automatic increases in generosity of Canada’s Employment Insurance program will add to Ottawa’s deficit and risks discouraging work long-term

Automatic increases in generosity of Canada’s Employment Insurance program will add to Ottawa’s deficit and risks discouraging work long-termHALIFAX—As unemployment rates soar, Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) program automatically becomes much more generous and accessible, which will add to Ottawa’s financial pressures and risks increasing long-term unemployment, finds a new study by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Already, vastly more people qualify for EI and are eligible to receive many more weeks of benefits with fewer hours of work than just a few weeks ago, and we know this increasingly generous coverage can lead to harmful long-term effects in the labour force,” said Fred McMahon, resident fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of Extended Employment Insurance Now Open to All: Atlantic Canada’s Warning for Other Provinces.
- Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Equalization program can’t adapt to rapid fiscal changes among provinces

TORONTO—Canada’s equalization program is not designed to handle the dramatic fiscal changes among provinces happening today, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “As the fortunes of provincial economies change, the equalization program—in its current form—can’t adapt to reflect these changes,” said Ben Eisen, Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of Equalization and Stabilization post-recession: Is Canada ready?
- Thursday, June 18, 2020

Government workers across Canada receive 9.4% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers

Government workers across Canada receive 9.4% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workersVANCOUVER—The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over their private-sector counterparts is one area governments could look to reduce costs following the recession, finds a new study by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “At a time when governments across Canada are facing serious fiscal pressures as a result of the recession, bringing government sector compensation in line with the private sector would help reduce costs without necessarily affecting services,” said Ben Eisen, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
- Thursday, June 11, 2020

Four-day work week possible by 2030 without sacrificing income, living standards

VANCOUVER—Canadians could enjoy a four-day work week—and actually work fewer hours—without giving up income or sacrificing their living standards if worker productivity increases by two per cent per year for the next decade, finds a new study by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
- Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Ottawa spending 50% more per Canadian in 2020 than during the 2009 recession: $13,226 vs. $8,775

Ottawa spending 50% more per Canadian in 2020 than during the 2009 recessionVANCOUVER—Federal government spending this year, which was already on track to be a new record high before the recession, is now expected to be 50.7 per cent more per Canadian than what Ottawa spent during the 2009 recession, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Prior to the economic shutdown in response to COVID-19, the federal government was planning to spend $9,306 per Canadian, the highest level ever in Canadian history,” said Jason Clemens, executive vice-president of the Fraser Institute.
- Tuesday, May 26, 2020

More Ontario high schools experienced declining performance in 2019 than improved

TORONTO—The Fraser Institute today released its annual rankings of Ontario secondary schools, and the findings show that more Ontario high schools declined in performance in 2019 than those that improved. The Report Card on Ontario’s Secondary Schools 2020, the most accessible tool for parents to compare the academic performance of the province’s schools, ranks 733 anglophone and francophone public and Catholic schools (and a small number of independent and First Nations schools) based on nine academic indicators derived from annual provincewide reading, writing and math tests.
- Sunday, May 24, 2020

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