Finances of the Nation: Provincial Debt Sustainability in Canada: Demographics, Federal Transfers, and COVID-19

Trevor Tombe

Canadian Tax Journal, 2020, vol. 68, issue 4, 1083-1122

Abstract: In this article, Trevor Tombe examines the sustainability of Canada's public debt in the face of steadily rising provincial debt, a severe economic shock from COVID-19, and mounting health-care costs associated with an aging population. He finds that while the federal debt is solidly sustainable, despite a large increase owing to COVID-19, the debt burden of most provincial governments is not. He discusses some of the policy options available to improve fiscal outlooks, focusing in particular on reform of federal transfers.

Keywords: Public debt; federal-provincial; demography; transfer payments; fiscal policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.32721/ctj.2020.68.4.fon

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