The Ontario government must take decisive action to get the budget under control when the COVID-19 crisis has passed
Ontario is the most indebted sub-sovereign borrower in the world. Interim financial results for the 2019-20 fiscal year show that the Ontario government ran a $9.2-billion deficit. According to estimates from economists, the deficit is likely to more than triple, largely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic lockdown, to around $29.3 billion…
Blame economic contraction due to COVID-19 and increased government spending at the provincial and federal levels
Ontario’s provincial government now carries more net debt per person than any province except Newfoundland and Labrador. In a reversal of historical norms, Ontario carries significantly more debt – almost $4,000 more per person – than Quebec. Of course, debt (financial assets minus total liabilities) means interest payments. But Ontarians aren’t just responsible for interest…
Tim McGuire of Mobile Klinik is building a national service network to meet the needs of all smartphone users
Tim McGuire is chief executive officer of Mobile Klinik. What is Mobile Klinik and what does it do? McGuire: Mobile Klinik is Canada’s largest and fastest-growing retail network of while-you-wait smartphone and tablet repair, care, sales and services stores. As Canada’s only national Samsung and LG-authorizd in- and out-of-warranty repair retailer, Mobile Klinik offers no-appointment-needed,…
Encouraging short-term stability at the expense of economic performance and fairness is folly when alternatives are available
In recent years, equalization and other regional subsidies have captured the attention of many Albertans. Much useful research has been done at the University of Calgary and by the former Wildrose Party. There has been extensive comment in Alberta’s media on Canada’s fiscal arrangements, including equalization. Issues connected with regional subsidies are important to all…
The smarter alternative would be to just bite the bullet and abandon the pretence of abiding by the flawed Paris agreement
The yellow vests demonstrations across the Atlantic against climate change-driven fuel taxes offer Ontario Premier Doug Ford yet another reason to congratulate himself on repealing Ontario’s carbon tax. Less reassuring, however, is the speculation that he intends to introduce a measure similar to the Australian Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). A sop to the leftists within the…
Ontario, Alberta and Quebec continued to account for the majority of energy consumed in Canada
Primary energy production in Canada increased five per cent in 2017 to 20,741 petajoules, following a 3.1 per cent increase in 2016, according to Statistics Canada. In a report released on Thursday, the federal agency said crude oil accounted for the largest proportion of primary energy production in Canada in 2017 at 46.4 per cent,…
Co-founder Stephanie Florio talks about plans to expand the concept, which runs through an app
Stephanie Florio is co-founder of Swob. It operates in the Toronto area but has plans to expand the concept to other areas. What is Swob and how did it come about? Florio: Swob is designed to make job searching for students easy and recruitment even easier. Using their smartphone, students looking for a job can…
OPA! of Greece marks its 20th year with the same commitment to quality, healthy choices and variety
Theodore “Dorrie” Karras is president and CEO of OPA! of Greece. Can you explain the history of OPA! and how it started? Karras: Opa! started 20 years ago in 1998. Founders Nick Tiginagas and Don Gebauer opened the first location in Market Mall in Calgary. At the time, Greek food was not prevalent in food…
A simple – and seemingly obvious – provincial decision that should have been made by the Trudeau government long ago
Some public policy initiatives are difficult for governments to make. They take a certain amount of time, effort, research, discussion, co-ordination, and wheeling and dealing before finally being implemented. And some public policy initiatives should be remarkably easy for governments to make and implement. Yet there are examples where simple political decisions take on a…
It's entirely possible that the federal government could wade into the pitched fight between the new Ontario premier and Canada's largest city
When the Ontario provincial government fights city hall, no-one expects the House of Commons to join in. Yet it’s not out of the realm of possibility that all three levels of government could get involved in one testy issue. This scenario started taking shape last week when Premier Doug Ford announced his plan to cut…
Ontario is the most indebted sub-sovereign borrower in the world. Interim financial results for the 2019-20 fiscal year show that the Ontario government ran a $9.2-billion deficit. According to estimates from economists, the deficit is likely to more than triple, largely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic lockdown, to around $29.3 billion…
