Canada Needs a New Fiscal Anchor. (Québec Has One to Offer.)

The Federal government is in need of a new fiscal anchor. If there is one thing the current crisis has revealed on the fiscal policy front, it is that the debt-to-GDP ratio alone cannot adequately play that role. As a result, additional fiscal rules that allow potentially large deficits during recessions while ultimately balancing budgets over the cycle will be needed to keep the country’s finances on a sustainable path. Read this articleCanada Needs a New Fiscal Anchor. (Québec Has One to Offer.)

Federal debt from 1867 … and after the pandemic

The federal debt is rising fast and is likely to reach at least 63 percent of GDP by 2025, a level not seen since the fiscal crisis of the 1990s. But the current low level of interest rates (if continued in the future) mean that the debt-to-GDP ratio is sustainable and will likely decline gradually over time, without the need for any sharp fiscal consolidation in the coming years. Read this articleFederal debt from 1867 … and after the pandemic

Finances of the Nation Research Roundup Number 1 – July 13

This post is the first of a regular series coming to Finances of the Nation which will serve to aggregate selected current research from think tanks, journals and other relevant sources relating to the Finances of the Nation project. This installation covers the federal government’s Economic and Fiscal Snapshot, Alberta’s economic recovery plan and recommendations on policy for the post-pandemic world. Read this articleFinances of the Nation Research Roundup Number 1 – July 13