‘The cognitive dissonance between wildfires fuelled by a warming planet and the promotion of more fossil fuel megaprojects has been palpable in Canada as well.’ @policyalternatives.ca @marclee.bsky.social
New for me: a long read on Western Canada‘s push to be an energy superpower, including the new pipeline, CCS, LNG and more. I break down the pertinent details and numbers from the new federal deals with Alberta and BC, and link back to climate. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Fuel for the fires: Western Canada as an “energy superpower” | CCPA
The federal government is walking back climate action and fast-tracking fossil fuels in the West. It’s a strategy that won’t age well.
policyalternatives.ca
“What we are seeing this week is that President Trump thinks trade and tariff policies are a political winner for him and they have been effective in imposing his view of the world on other countries, including Canada.” @marclee.bsky.social of @policyalternatives.ca www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Marc Lee on Trump's latest tariff threats against Canada
Get the latest on CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysis
cbc.ca
Understanding the latest Trump trade war play by @marclee.bsky.social: www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Canada getting the “art of the deal” treatment with new U.S. tariffs | CCPA
Understanding the latest Trump trade war play
policyalternatives.ca
‘There will surely be a court challenge to these tariffs and possibly backlash in Congress. However, should the U.S. Supreme Court find these tariffs legal, they could confer upon the president new powers that could be used to apply leverage elsewhere.’ @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca
New post from me on trade takes stock of the new Trump trade war play. A review of the new tariffs, how they fit in with the previous Trump tariffs, and the bigger renegotiation of the Canada United States Mexico agreement. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Canada getting the “art of the deal” treatment with new U.S. tariffs | CCPA
Understanding the latest Trump trade war play
policyalternatives.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... ‘Federal & BC officials should have known better than to drop this half-baked trial balloon.’ @policyalternatives.ca @marclee.bsky.social
The Vancouver condo bailout props up a failed housing model | CCPA
How much should the government pay for an unsold, empty condo for it to be “affordable”?
policyalternatives.ca
How much should the government pay for an unsold, empty condo for it to be “affordable”? By @marclee.bsky.social #bcpoli #cdnpoli @policyalternatives.ca www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
The Vancouver condo bailout props up a failed housing model | CCPA
How much should the government pay for an unsold, empty condo for it to be “affordable”?
policyalternatives.ca
New post looks at the BC and federal government's plan to bail out condo developers. I review what we know so far and put numbers to the big gap between home prices and incomes for ordinary working people. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
The Vancouver condo bailout props up a failed housing model | CCPA
How much should the government pay for an unsold, empty condo for it to be “affordable”?
policyalternatives.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... 'As we look to define what we mean by “elbows up” and “maitres chez nous” there is a robust policy agenda awaiting to build Canada and turn its vast physical and human resources into collective well being.' @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca
Masters in our own house: Foreign ownership and investment trends in Canada - CCPA
How much does foreign capital own in the Canadian economy—and how much Canadian capital do we export abroad?
policyalternatives.ca
New from me: a piece revisiting the issue of foreign ownership in historical context and for our current political moment. I review the key data and pitch a few ideas for reform: www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Masters in our own house: Foreign ownership and investment trends in Canada - CCPA
How much does foreign capital own in the Canadian economy—and how much Canadian capital do we export abroad?
policyalternatives.ca
How much does foreign capital own of the Canadian economy—and how much Canadian capital do we export abroad? By @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca #cdnecon www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Masters in our own house: Foreign ownership and investment trends in Canada - CCPA
How much does foreign capital own in the Canadian economy—and how much Canadian capital do we export abroad?
policyalternatives.ca
Economist Marc Lee joins us to talk about the British Columbia government’s budget for 2026 and projected spending for the next 3 years. @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca @alonghurst.bsky.social tiny.cc/mbbz001 #bcPoli
BC budget 2026: Hidden austerity, tax increases and service cuts
Podcast Episode · Redeye · February 22 · 16m
tiny.cc
Saturday | 10:05 PT Economist Marc Lee joins us to talk about the British Columbia government’s budget for 2026 and projected spending for the next 3 years. @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca @alonghurst.bsky.social #BCpoli
ICYMI: “A budget that managed to alienate everybody,” said @marclee.bsky.social, a senior economist with @policyalternatives.ca , who laughed as he summed up the vibe among stakeholders who attended the budget announcement in Victoria." #bcBudget2026 www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
ICYMI: "Economists like @marclee.bsky.social of @policyalternatives.ca also criticized the tax measures for disproportionately affecting working people." #bcBudget2026 vancouversun.com/news/bc-budg...
B.C. Budget: Finance minister delivers a sea of red ink and tax increases
This year's budget has over $4 billion in tax increases as well as 15,000 job cuts to public service and a projected $13.3 billion deficit
vancouversun.com
My and Andrew Longhurst's review of BC budget 2026, the budget that pissed off everyone! Mostly, I think the hysteria about deficits and debt is way overblown and I'm disappointed the government got captured by that narrative. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
B.C. budget’s hidden austerity and tax increases put fiscal burden on low-income households - CCPA
BC's Finance Minister says "this is not an austerity budget." Let's look at the numbers and see for ourselves.
policyalternatives.ca
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... “A budget that managed to alienate everybody” @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca
ANALYSIS | Once again, B.C. NDP frames budget as a ‘balance,’ but this time with more red ink | CBC News
Some B.C. budgets have big spending announcements, tax cuts, or bold new directions that inspire excited press releases from different partisans or stakeholders. The 2026 budget wasn't one of them.
cbc.ca
"They definitely seemed to manage to piss off everybody," said @marclee.bsky.social, senior economist with @policyalternatives.ca, of Tuesday's B.C. budget. www.timescolonist.com/local-news/a...
A B.C. budget few like, with job cuts, higher taxes and increased debt and deficit
"They definitely seemed to manage to piss off everybody," said Marc Lee, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, of Tuesday's B.C. budget.
timescolonist.com
“I think we could have asked the wealthiest British Columbians to contribute more, because we’re not all in the same boat.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... @marclee.bsky.social @policyalternatives.ca
B.C. raises income taxes and expands sales tax to address ballooning debt | CBC News
In an effort to curb a ballooning provincial debt, B.C.’s 2026 budget announced significant changes to the tax system, with increases to income taxes and modifications to sales and property taxes.
cbc.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... ‘Public services in general are an investment in people and a wealthy society like BC needs more of the care economy and less digital baubles. A lot of other infrastructure spending supports households and large and small businesses.’ @policyalternatives.ca
B.C. budget’s hidden austerity and tax increases put fiscal burden on low-income households - CCPA
BC's Finance Minister says "this is not an austerity budget." Let's look at the numbers and see for ourselves.
policyalternatives.ca
BC's Finance Minister says "this is not an austerity budget." Let's look at the numbers and see for ourselves. By @marclee.bsky.social and @alonghurst.bsky.social www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
B.C. budget’s hidden austerity and tax increases put fiscal burden on low-income households - CCPA
BC's Finance Minister says "this is not an austerity budget." Let's look at the numbers and see for ourselves.
policyalternatives.ca
I'll be in #BCpoli Budget 2026 lock-up with @marclee.bsky.social I'll be watching all things health care, including primary care BC is spending big on its new family doc model, but it's not delivering Will we see a pivot to Community Health Centres? www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
BC residents have shrinking access to family doctors, despite more doctors - CCPA
Primary care access is declining in BC. With a new provincial budget on the way, how has spending on doctors affected it?
policyalternatives.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... 'A planning document that does not plan for BC meeting its legislated GHG targets is not a complete plan. A truly integrated approach to BC electricity is needed given multiple objectives & potentially large affordability impacts' @policyalternatives.ca
BC Hydro’s draft Integrated Resources Plan and the future of energy policy in BC - CCPA
The utility’s plan fails to address large new sources of demand and broader climate goals
policyalternatives.ca
BC Hydro's plan fails to address large new sources of demand and broader climate goals️. By @marclee.bsky.social #bcpoli @policyalternatives.ca www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
BC Hydro’s draft Integrated Resources Plan and the future of energy policy in BC - CCPA
The utility’s plan fails to address large new sources of demand and broader climate goals
policyalternatives.ca
Instead of a typical BC throne speech, it was dedicated to the victims of the Tumbler Ridge shooting The BC budget drops Tuesday I’ll be in the budget lock up with @marclee.bsky.social We’ll have complete budget analysis, including health care and social spending www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
B.C. throne speech dedicated to victims, community of Tumbler Ridge
British Columbia Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia opened a new session of the legislature on Thursday with a speech from the throne dedicated to the people of Tumbler Ridge, saying that they are 'suffering unim...
cbc.ca
New from me: a deeper dive into BC Hydro's draft Integrated Resources Plan. The IRP fails to consider how it would meet the immense new demand pressure from LNG, mining and AI/data centres. And climate action is an afterthought. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
BC Hydro’s draft Integrated Resources Plan and the future of energy policy in BC - CCPA
The utility’s plan fails to address large new sources of demand and broader climate goals
policyalternatives.ca
Economist @marclee.bsky.social is skeptical that Vancouver — or Canada — will get the bank. “...It looks to me like a government that’s just completely devoid of any vision of what to do around the economy and it’s just grasping at straws.” @policyalternatives.ca #bcpoli thetyee.ca/News/2026/02...
Why Does Vancouver Want a Global Defence Bank? | The Tyee
Local business leaders promote Vancouver’s connections to Asia, but critics warn Canada could end up boosting the ‘war economy.’
thetyee.ca
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc... 'the lack of planned investment in seniors’ care is a serious problem. If the provincial govt has no plans to sufficiently address increasing demand for public care, how are these gaps being filled?' @policyalternatives.ca @alonghurst.bsky.social
Seniors’ care needs a boost in the BC budget - CCPA
Private-pay long-term care in BC is growing faster than public care—and it's costing seniors and their families
policyalternatives.ca
I'm so excited to welcome my BC-based colleague, Andy Longhurst, to the CCPA as our new health care researcher. Just in time for next week's BC Budget, Andy looks at the big raise we gave to physicians and how it's impacting the system. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
BC residents have shrinking access to family doctors, despite more doctors - CCPA
Primary care access is declining in BC. With a new provincial budget on the way, how has spending on doctors affected it?
policyalternatives.ca