3 d. ago Budget watchdog reports sharp improvement in home affordability _ but not everywhere

OTTAWA — As Parliamentarians spar over how to make housing more affordable, Ottawa’s fiscal watchdog is reporting significant progress in closing that affordability gap nationally — but the picture looks very different across the country. Interim Parliamentary Budget Officer Jason Jacques put out an updated housing report Thursday. The report gauges affordability based on the […]

Other

4 d. ago GOLDSTEIN: Liberal debt goes from ‘fiscal anchors’ to ‘anchors away’

Interim parliamentary budget officer Jason Jacques has called state of federal finances 'shocking'

Economics

8 d. ago GOLDSTEIN: Time to abandon Liberals’ failed and costly climate policies

The auditor general, environment commissioner and parliamentary budget officer have all reported major flaws in federal climate programs

Society

9 d. ago Statistics Canada says tourism spending up 0.9% in second quarter at $26.5B

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says total tourism spending in the second quarter rose 0.9 per cent as an increase in domestic travel was offset in part by fewer visitors from the U.S. The agency says total tourism spending for the second quarter totalled $26.5 billion. The results come as Canadians have been opting to spend […]

Economics

1 week ago Budget watchdog forecasts sharp rise in deficit to $68.5B this year

OTTAWA — The parliamentary budget officer says he expects the upcoming fall budget will reveal a sharp increase in Ottawa’s annual deficit to $68.5 billion this year, up from $51.7 billion last year. Interim PBO Jason Jacques also says in a new report that federal debt-to-GDP is no longer on a declining path over the […]

Economics

1 week ago Lorne Gunter: Carney's easiest target in federal spending cuts is bloated bonuses

The federal government’s payroll is now more than $71 billion a year and the Parliamentary Budget Office estimates it will over $76 billion by 2030. That means about one in every six dollars spent by Ottawa goes to paying the salaries of its legion of bureaucrats. Were Ottawa’s civil service payroll a separate line item […]

Politics

2 w. ago With budget season looming, Liberals duck questions on deficit

Interim Parliamentary Budget Officer Jason Jacques said the deficit will "absolutely be higher" on Tuesday

Other

2 w. ago Parliamentary budget watchdog slashing its own spending by 5 per cent

Jason Jacques, the interim PBO, is making the budget reduction despite being exempt from the government's spending review.

Other