Alternative budgets

TORONTO--The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives today released the 2002-3 edition of the Alternative Budget for Ontario. The budget, prepared by the Ontario Alternative Budget Working Group, calls for program renewal investments reaching $11.2 billion annually over a 4-year phase-in period. In addition, to end the slow starvation of public services during the Harris years, the OAB would maintain the real, per capita value of the 2001-2 level of public services, for a total increase in public services spending over four years of $18.6 billion.

TORONTO--The Eves budget, released March 27, 2003 is a profound failure, delivering funding that falls far short of what is required for education and health reinvestment, and completely ignored the deepening crises in housing, social assistance and child care, according to Reality cheque: What Ontario needs (and it's not tax cuts!).

(Vancouver) Addressing inequality in BC should be the top priority for the 2001 Budget, the CCPA will tell the BC Legislature's Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services at 4:45pm today. The Committee is in Vancouver to hear submissions from the public about how the government should deal with its projected surplus. The CCPA notes that stronger growth this year (and into 2001) is good news for workers and businesses, as well as the government's fiscal situation. The brief recommends planning for a third consecutive balanced budget for the 2001/02 fiscal year.

(Vancouver) The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released a "Solutions Budget" today, which it says will restore economic and social security to British Columbians. "The government's experiment isn't working," says Marc Lee, Economist in the CCPA's BC Office. "The belief that tax cuts and 'small government' would boost our standard of living, especially in the current economic climate, was a leap of faith and that isn't delivering. It's time to for the government to rethink its fiscal plans."