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Posted By: cancelbotThese are undoubtedly some good times for people in Alberta. However, the milk and honey being enjoyed in Wild Rose Country are, and will continue to be diluted by the continued influx of people from across the country. The marginal benefit from moving there will decline as costs go up and demand for labour goes down (although it's clearly not at that point yet). Also, the tremendous costs of developing infrastructure (not just roads, but hospitals, schools, social services, and all the mundane stuff that goes along with it) will put a damper on the party in a hurry.
True, there are certainly downsides to the extreme growth Alberta has seen, and associated costs too.
If you take the view that the government's economic goals do (or should) include the goal of maximizing wealth across the board, there is probably no more efficient way to do that than to provide tangible incentives for people to go to the source of said wealth, and work towards developing it even further.
And that's how benefits accrue directly to the region where the natural resources are present (provided of course that the provincial government has the ability to meet the needs of this kind of growth).
I agree that equalization is good. Important government-provided services like health care, education, etc. should be of a consistently high standard across the country. Indeed, that is the stated purpose of equalization. No one wants to see gold-plated hospital toilets in Calgary while people in New Brunswick make do with third-world style health care. However, it would ultimately be to everyone's detriment if royalties went to Ottawa and redistributed without regard for reinvesting it in areas where it would likely create even more wealth.
All good points. But I think that one of the other issues here is that Alberta (and other provinces with access to high oil revenues) is able to reduce the amount of revenue they take in taxes, thus creating a semblance of inequality among provinces). By removing natural resources from the equation and accruing them nationally, the playing field between provinces could be levelled to a certain extent. Any advantage enjoyed by one jurisdiction would have to be made through smart policy decisions.
Posted By: zanderAll good points. But I think that one of the other issues here is that Alberta (and other provinces with access to high oil revenues) is able to reduce the amount of revenue they take in taxes, thus creating a semblance of inequality among provinces). By removing natural resources from the equation and accruing them nationally, the playing field between provinces could be levelled to a certain extent. Any advantage enjoyed by one jurisdiction would have to be made through smart policy decisions.
Posted By: MonomintoYet another gouge to the pocket books, the prices are going up so fast, pretty soon, no one will be able to afford to travel to work!
Take the bus. My monthly pass costs the same as it always did (at least for now). ;)
Posted By: MonomintoFrom where I live, zander, there is NO bus service, at all.
Posted By: MonomintoFrom where I live, zander, there is NO bus service, at all.
Then carpool with a neighbour, drive to a Park & Ride lot or sell your car and buy a more fuel-efficient one. There are other options.
Posted By: Mr. NobodyAhhh ALberta, an oil slick away from being Winnipeg.
Posted By: smjpilotAlberta has always been a great place to live.... that's why the dinosaurs that became Alberta's oil all chose to live there! Manitoba should have done something 65 million years ago to attract more dinosaur immigrants!!