B.C. to join legal challenge of how Canada calculates equalization payments

Premier David Eby has confirmed B.C. will formally support Newfoundland and Labrador’s tribunal situation to really nan national authorities makes equalization payments.

“We are struggling pinch this strategy that we’re paying into that goes straight to nan group of Ontario, nan group of Quebec,” Eby said Wednesday, astatine nan last time of a gathering of premiers successful Halifax.

Newfoundland and Labrador announced plans to return Ottawa to tribunal successful May, saying nan existing strategy puts it astatine a disadvantage.

The state said astatine nan clip of nan announcement that it could person received betwixt $450 cardinal and $1.2 cardinal successful each of nan past 5 years alternatively of receiving thing owed to it calls nan formula’s basal flaws.

“We are going to guidelines up and make judge nan programme is moving for them, is supporting them,” Eby said.

Experts connected nan Canadian governmental system, however, statement that it is nan provinces themselves who discuss equalization.

UBC governmental intelligence Gerald Baier said it is not arsenic elemental arsenic British Columbia subsidizing Ontario.

“I americium skeptical this would make B.C. eligible for equalization, and if truthful it would beryllium a very mini amount,” he said.

Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador are nan provinces that presently do not person equalization payments.

Eby argues projects for illustration B.C.’s Massey Tunnel replacement task person been promised national dollars, but person yet to spot nan money.

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“The champion results will travel from america moving intimately pinch nan national authorities erstwhile they want to money these things and we tin tailor it to British Columbia’s realities, and we tin thief them debar mistakes,” Eby said.

The move comes pinch a provincial predetermination successful nan wings, and arsenic Eby has been progressively critical of what he says is unfair national backing for Western Canada and British Columbians.

“Part of this is an predetermination strategy that seems to be, astatine slightest successful part, thing you don’t for illustration successful B.C. authorities correct now you tin partially blasted nan national authorities for,” Baier said.

The past awesome alteration to equalization came nether nan Harper government, which required aggregate equalization payments to turn successful statement pinch nan complaint of Canada’s nationalist growth.

Since that alteration was made conscionable aft nan 2008 financial crisis, nan look has undergone immoderate insignificant tweaks, but nary existent awesome reform.

— pinch files from nan Canadian Press