(=_=)Раиса
2014-06-18 19:33:38 UTC
Which is a 38% increase over past years . . . when the other provinces
are getting only a 3% increase . . . .
Harper is into playing politics big time. With OUR tax dollars. No
bloody wonder Kathleen Wynne was able to get past a Con candidate in the
Ontario election.
______________________________________
Here's the bragging part:
Calgary Herald - June 17, 2014
Alberta GDP growth expected to lead Canada: Conference Board
More than 3% economic growth for fifth consecutive year
CALGARY - Alberta’s economy this year is expected to grow by more than
three per cent for the fifth consecutive year, according to the
Conference Board of Canada.
The conference board is forecasting Alberta’s economy will grow by 3.5
per cent in 2014, which is the best in the country. And the forecast is
for 3.1 per cent growth in 2015 - also topping all provinces.
Nationally, the Canadian economy is expected to grow by 2.1 per cent in
2014 and 2.6 per cent in 2015, according to the board's Provincial
Outlook: Spring 2014 report released on Tuesday.
Todd Crawford, senior economist with the Conference Board, said the
story about Alberta’s economy has not changed much over the last few years.
“The basics are that it is very strong and of course it continues to be
fuelled by the development of the energy sector,” said Crawford. “That’s
important. But the other important thing, the other side of that, is
because things are going so well in Alberta that makes the risks
especially high as well because you have more on the line to lose.
“We know the labour markets are getting increasingly tight. We’re seeing
wage gains in the province again although not yet out of control. But
are still substantially above what we’re seeing elsewhere in Canada. And
while wage gains are a good thing for workers, sure, they can be a
negative for employers. It means a couple of things. When wage gains are
surging that means it’s easy for people to find jobs. So worker
retention is very difficult. Keep in mind also that wages paid are good
for the worker, they’re a cost to the employer.”
[. . .]
The report said the population surge has not eased the strain on labour
markets, however. Despite the influx of new workers, the provincial
unemployment rate was estimated at 4.6 per cent for the first quarter of
2014.
“The weekly wage is projected to rise 3.9 per cent this year and job
vacancy rates are already the highest in the country,” it said. “This
suggests that labour demand remains strong, which bodes well for
consumer spending in the province.
“While exports and consumer spending are forecast to remain strong
heading into 2015, a second consecutive year of slower investment will
cause real GDP to moderate to just 3.1 per cent growth next year.
Immigration is expected to return to more normal levels, and that will
weigh heavily on the residential market, where growth is projected to
slow to just 1.1 per cent. Still, job creation will be strong and the
province’s unemployment rate will trend down, falling to 4.5 per cent by
year end.”
The conference board’s positive economic outlooks mirrors an RBC
Economics report, which was released last week, saying Alberta’s economy
is in a class by itself and head and shoulders above the other provinces.
________________________________
Here's the irony - and slap in the face to Ontario and other provinces:
Published February 11, 2014
Alberta gets bulk of new health transfers in federal budget
Alberta will swallow up more than half of all new health transfers to
the provinces in 2014-2015.
Ottawa is increasing the Canada Health Transfer to provinces by $1.8
billion next fiscal year but more than $1 billion of that will go to
Alberta.
Ottawa advertises that it is increasing health transfers to the
provinces by six per cent. In fact, the increase is an average of three
per cent for every province, except Alberta.
Alberta’s increase is 38 per cent.
The disproportionate jump is due to the government changing the transfer
formula. Ottawa previously took income level into account in deciding
how much money each province should get.
Starting in 2014-2015, the government will dole out health transfers
purely by population. That means a boon for Alberta at the expense of
all other provinces.
Nova Scotia would have received a further $40 million to pay for health
care under the old formula. Instead, it will receive an increase of just
$17 million.
Provinces rely heavily on the Canada Health Transfer to pay for growing
health-care expenses. Next year, Nova Scotia will receive a total of
$682 million in health funding.
Taking out income level as a factor hurts Atlantic Canada more than the
rest of the country. Health transfers to the region will rise by less
than two per cent.
Newfoundland and Labrador should actually see $13 million less under the
new formula.
But because Ottawa promised transfers would not go down, Newfoundland’s
funding will stay identical for the coming year — $490 million.
Alberta’s health transfer will rise by $1.03 billion to a total of $3.75
billion.
Health experts have argued Alberta is getting equal per-capita funding,
despite their costs not being equal.
“You’ll have more money flowing to Alberta, and yet it faces the
youngest population of any province in Canada,” said University of
Regina professor Greg Marchildon in an interview last year.
Marchildon and his colleague Haizhen Mou proposed a formula that takes
into account factors of geography and population age. Under this system,
Nova Scotia would receive more for its elderly population. Provinces
with large rural areas like Saskatchewan would also benefit.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty surprised the provinces when he announced
the per-capita formula in December of 2011. Despite protests by every
province except Alberta, Flaherty refused to preserve the old formula
past 2013-2014.
are getting only a 3% increase . . . .
Harper is into playing politics big time. With OUR tax dollars. No
bloody wonder Kathleen Wynne was able to get past a Con candidate in the
Ontario election.
______________________________________
Here's the bragging part:
Calgary Herald - June 17, 2014
Alberta GDP growth expected to lead Canada: Conference Board
More than 3% economic growth for fifth consecutive year
CALGARY - Alberta’s economy this year is expected to grow by more than
three per cent for the fifth consecutive year, according to the
Conference Board of Canada.
The conference board is forecasting Alberta’s economy will grow by 3.5
per cent in 2014, which is the best in the country. And the forecast is
for 3.1 per cent growth in 2015 - also topping all provinces.
Nationally, the Canadian economy is expected to grow by 2.1 per cent in
2014 and 2.6 per cent in 2015, according to the board's Provincial
Outlook: Spring 2014 report released on Tuesday.
Todd Crawford, senior economist with the Conference Board, said the
story about Alberta’s economy has not changed much over the last few years.
“The basics are that it is very strong and of course it continues to be
fuelled by the development of the energy sector,” said Crawford. “That’s
important. But the other important thing, the other side of that, is
because things are going so well in Alberta that makes the risks
especially high as well because you have more on the line to lose.
“We know the labour markets are getting increasingly tight. We’re seeing
wage gains in the province again although not yet out of control. But
are still substantially above what we’re seeing elsewhere in Canada. And
while wage gains are a good thing for workers, sure, they can be a
negative for employers. It means a couple of things. When wage gains are
surging that means it’s easy for people to find jobs. So worker
retention is very difficult. Keep in mind also that wages paid are good
for the worker, they’re a cost to the employer.”
[. . .]
The report said the population surge has not eased the strain on labour
markets, however. Despite the influx of new workers, the provincial
unemployment rate was estimated at 4.6 per cent for the first quarter of
2014.
“The weekly wage is projected to rise 3.9 per cent this year and job
vacancy rates are already the highest in the country,” it said. “This
suggests that labour demand remains strong, which bodes well for
consumer spending in the province.
“While exports and consumer spending are forecast to remain strong
heading into 2015, a second consecutive year of slower investment will
cause real GDP to moderate to just 3.1 per cent growth next year.
Immigration is expected to return to more normal levels, and that will
weigh heavily on the residential market, where growth is projected to
slow to just 1.1 per cent. Still, job creation will be strong and the
province’s unemployment rate will trend down, falling to 4.5 per cent by
year end.”
The conference board’s positive economic outlooks mirrors an RBC
Economics report, which was released last week, saying Alberta’s economy
is in a class by itself and head and shoulders above the other provinces.
________________________________
Here's the irony - and slap in the face to Ontario and other provinces:
Published February 11, 2014
Alberta gets bulk of new health transfers in federal budget
Alberta will swallow up more than half of all new health transfers to
the provinces in 2014-2015.
Ottawa is increasing the Canada Health Transfer to provinces by $1.8
billion next fiscal year but more than $1 billion of that will go to
Alberta.
Ottawa advertises that it is increasing health transfers to the
provinces by six per cent. In fact, the increase is an average of three
per cent for every province, except Alberta.
Alberta’s increase is 38 per cent.
The disproportionate jump is due to the government changing the transfer
formula. Ottawa previously took income level into account in deciding
how much money each province should get.
Starting in 2014-2015, the government will dole out health transfers
purely by population. That means a boon for Alberta at the expense of
all other provinces.
Nova Scotia would have received a further $40 million to pay for health
care under the old formula. Instead, it will receive an increase of just
$17 million.
Provinces rely heavily on the Canada Health Transfer to pay for growing
health-care expenses. Next year, Nova Scotia will receive a total of
$682 million in health funding.
Taking out income level as a factor hurts Atlantic Canada more than the
rest of the country. Health transfers to the region will rise by less
than two per cent.
Newfoundland and Labrador should actually see $13 million less under the
new formula.
But because Ottawa promised transfers would not go down, Newfoundland’s
funding will stay identical for the coming year — $490 million.
Alberta’s health transfer will rise by $1.03 billion to a total of $3.75
billion.
Health experts have argued Alberta is getting equal per-capita funding,
despite their costs not being equal.
“You’ll have more money flowing to Alberta, and yet it faces the
youngest population of any province in Canada,” said University of
Regina professor Greg Marchildon in an interview last year.
Marchildon and his colleague Haizhen Mou proposed a formula that takes
into account factors of geography and population age. Under this system,
Nova Scotia would receive more for its elderly population. Provinces
with large rural areas like Saskatchewan would also benefit.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty surprised the provinces when he announced
the per-capita formula in December of 2011. Despite protests by every
province except Alberta, Flaherty refused to preserve the old formula
past 2013-2014.