Latest Research

Canada’s health-care wait times hit 22.6 weeks in 2020—longest ever recorded

Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2020 is a new study that finds Canada’s health-care wait times reached 22.6 weeks in 2020—the longest ever recorded—and 143 per cent higher than the 9.3 weeks Canadians waited in 1993, when the Fraser Institute began tracking medical wait times. Before this year, the longest recorded wait time was 21.2 weeks in 2017. Atlantic Canada has the longest wait times in the country this year, and Ontario recorded the shortest wait time, which was still more than four months long.

New book explains genesis and key contributions of Austrian school of economics

The Essential Austrian Economics is a new book, website and animated video series that explores the key tenets of the Austrian school of economics—which emphasizes the preferences and actions of individuals—in an easily accessible way. Topics include government interventionism, business cycles, the market process, economic calculation and marginal thinking.

Commentary and Blog Posts

Trudeau government’s economic stimulus plan makes little sense

(Appeared in the Ottawa Sun) by Jake Fuss

The government plans to spend up to $100 billion for economic stimulus over the next three years.

Canada’s ‘Fiscal Stabilization’ program—what is it, and is it working well?

by Ben Eisen and Tegan Hill

The Trudeau government raised the cap from $60 per person to $170.

Rising debt-interest payments further threaten Alberta government’s deteriorating fiscal situation

(Appeared in the Calgary Sun) by Tegan Hill and Steve Lafleur

Government debt interest will cost Albertans a projected $3.0 billion by 2022/23.

Future economic growth in B.C. rests on shaky foundation

(Appeared in Business in Vancouver) by Steven Globerman

Future immigration into B.C. may not match pre-COVID levels.

Maritime provinces could soon see smaller slice of equalization pie

(Appeared in the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal) by Ben Eisen and Milagros Palacios

As a share of the province’s total government revenue, New Brunswick’s equalization payments fell from 23.7 per cent to 19 per cent.

Federal finances ‘careening downhill’ fast

by Livio Di Matteo

The federal net debt may rise from $812.9 billion in 2019-20 to more than $1.4 trillion by 2025-26.

Atlantic provinces addiction to big government suppresses economic growth

(Appeared in the Bluenose Bulletin) by Fred McMahon

Sweden compensates for its big government with an open free-market economy and business-friendly laws.

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