Fraser Institute

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

VANCOUVER—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.

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.

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

VANCOUVER—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.

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.

Tax Freedom Day is May 19 - but there's not much to celebrate

Have you ever wondered how much you actually pay in taxes each year? While tax returns help us understand how much income tax we pay, it’s difficult for most Canadians to calculate their total tax bill.

Medical wait times cost Canadian patients more than $2 billion in lost wages before COVID-19

VANCOUVER—Long waits for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians almost $2.1 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.

Alberta’s net contribution to Ottawa—more than $94 billion—dwarfed contributions from other provinces in recent years

CALGARY—From 2014 to 2018, Alberta’s net contribution to federal finances was $94.9 billion, by far the largest contribution from any province during that time period, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non- partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Trudeau government increased national debt by more than $84 billion before COVID-19

VANCOUVER—Instead of reducing the debt when the economy was growing as the Chrétien government did, the current federal government has actually increased the national debt by $84.3 billion before any COVID-19 spending is accounted for, according to new analysis by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Fraser Institute’s ranking of Ontario elementary schools coming Sunday, March 15

TORONTO—The Fraser Institute’s Report Card on Ontario’s Elementary Schools is out today. This year’s Report Card—the go-to source for measuring academic performance—ranks more than 3,000 anglophone and francophone public and Catholic schools (and a small number of independent schools) based on nine academic indicators from results of annual provincewide reading, writing and math tests.

Adding UN declaration on Indigenous peoples on top of Canadian law will lead to legal chaos

VANCOUVER—The federal government should recognize that its plan to legislate a United Nations declaration conflicts with Canadian constitutional law and will likely cause legal chaos, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Inserting yet more ambiguous language into Canadian law, which will inevitably affect the approval process for major infrastructure projects in Canada, is unwise and would likely lead to even more uncertainty,” said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow and author of Squaring the Circle: Adopting UNDRIP in Canada.

New report finds more than 50 countries increased restrictions on women’s economic rights from 2016 to 2018

TORONTO—Despite improvements worldwide, fifty-four countries imposed greater restrictions on the economic rights of women over a recent two-year period, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank, in recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8.

Chrétien government’s historic 1995 budget restored sound fiscal policies in Ottawa; a stark contrast with current government

VANCOUVER—Twenty-five years ago today, Jean Chrétien’s federal government tabled a historic budget that tackled head-on the pressing fiscal challenges facing the nation, finds a new book of collected essays released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “The 1995 federal budget was historic not just for its bold fiscal reforms, but also for the 10-plus years of prosperity that followed as a result,” said Jason Clemens, executive vice-president of the Fraser Institute and contributing editor of The Budget That Changed Canada: Essays on the 25th Anniversary of the 1995 Budget.

Canadian jurisdictions drop out of top 10 most attractive places for mining investment

CALGARY—For the first time in 10 years, no Canadian jurisdiction ranks in the top 10 for “investment attractiveness” according to mining executives and investors, finds the Annual Survey of Mining Companies released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

This year the Ontario government will spend more on debt interest costs than on post-secondary education

TORONTO—In fiscal year 2019-20, the Ontario provincial government will spend almost $13 billion on debt interest payments, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Since the recession of 2008-09, Ontario’s provincial debt has more than doubled, increasing the interest costs paid by Ontario’s taxpayers,” said Jake Fuss, Fraser Institute economist and coauthor of Interest Costs and their Growing Burden on Canadians.

Fracking generally safe, includes manageable risks, can help reduce GHG emissions

VANCOUVER—The actual harm to human welfare from hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) is extremely low, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Contrary to popular rhetoric, the risks of fracking can be managed and minimalized in Canada and elsewhere,” said Robert P. Murphy, Fraser Institute senior fellow and author of Managing the Risks of Hydraulic Fracturing, 2020.

Only 9% of Ontario’s job-creation happened outside GTA and Ottawa since 2008

TORONTO—Despite strong job-creation numbers in the Greater Toronto Area and to a lesser extent Ottawa, many cities and rural areas outside these two large regions have experienced little or no job growth over the past decade. So finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Justin Trudeau only prime minister in more than a century to increase per-person debt without facing war or recession

VANCOUVER—Justin Trudeau is the only prime minister since 1900—and only one of three prime ministers since Confederation—to increase Canada’s per-person debt without facing a world war or recession, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Any province—including Alberta—has ability to mandate constitutional negotiations on equalization, other issues

CALGARY—Despite popular misconceptions, particularly in Central Canada, Alberta (or any province) can compel other provinces and the federal government to negotiate aspects of the Constitution including equalization—but they must do it the right way, finds a new essay released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Top 10% of income-earners earned 34% of Canada’s total income—yet paid more than 54% of total income taxes

TORONTO—The share of income tax paid by the top 10 per cent of income-earners in Canada is markedly disproportionate to the share of income earned by this group of Canadians, finds a new essay released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Despite common misperceptions and misleading rhetoric, our top 10 per cent of income-earners pay more than half of Canada’s income taxes—and this group includes people that few would consider wealthy,” said Philip Cross, former chief economic analyst at Statistics Canada, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of Should Upper-Income Canadians Pay More Income Tax?

Canada remains only high-income universal health-care country to eschew private medical insurance

VANCOUVER—Every high-income country with universal health care allows private medical insurance to cover some necessary health-care costs, except Canada, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. Currently, the provinces prohibit or severely restrict the ability of Canadians to pay privately for medically necessary services in their efforts to comply with the Canada Health Act.