The Importance of Provincial Budgets: Elbows Up and No Bracket Creep!

Some of the right things are happening in Nova Scotia, from the perspective of improving standards of living in that province.  And that’s important news because according to the Fraser Institute, Canadians have suffered the worst five-year decline in their standard of living over the 2020-to-2024 period since the Great Depression.  It notes, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person decreased by 2.0% (0.4% annually) ; this despite aggregate GDP growth of 1.5% over the period.  Further, all ten provinces are experiencing stagnation, which is unique in our history.  So what’s the good news in Nova Scotia, at this critical juncture?

Mark your calendar: there are some important dates coming up for those with an interest in tax and financial planning, including some exciting new educational opportunities with Knowledge Bureau. 

According to the July 8 Economic Snapshot, the Canadian economy is projected to shrink by 6.8%, the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression.  Worse, Canadians face an unprecedented total market debt level of $1.236 Trillion dollars projected for the end of 2020-21 and the government plans to finance $713 billion of that, which means that each of Canada’s 37,742,154 people, now face a liability of $32,748.66.  It’s no wonder the PBO issued a report on a “wealth tax” the same day.

Here’s a quick overview of the pandemic response provisions and their costs.

It doesn’t come as a shock: but a new survey from Ipsos and MNP Ltd show just how significantly Canadians are struggling financially as a result of the pandemic. Scarier still, many aren’t sure what their next steps are to regain their financial footing once the extended CERB period finally runs out if their job situation hasn’t changed.

The government responded quickly to get money to Canadians affected financially by the pandemic, with new and updated measures and benefits occurring regularly throughout March and April. What was implemented? Learn more as we consider the cost with the release of the Federal Government’s July 8 Economic Snapshot.

The pandemic has had a significant economic impact. Here’s a summary of the major pandemic response benefits extended by the federal government to help businesses weather the storm.