Calgary 
Albertans are sending far more to Ottawa than they receive back, and a new Fraser Institute study says that gap has a direct effect on taxpayers in the rest of Canada.
Credit: Fraser Institute
According to the study, Illustrating Albertans’ Contribution to the Rest of Canada, income taxpayers outside Alberta would need to pay an average of $1,007 more each year to maintain current federal spending levels without Alberta’s net contribution.
The report looks at the period from 2007/08 to 2026/27. Over that span, Alberta’s projected net contribution to federal finances is $321.9 billion. That is nearly four times British Columbia’s $87.8 billion and more than five times Ontario’s $59.6 billion.
The study says the remaining seven provinces were net recipients during the same period, meaning they received more from Ottawa than they contributed in federal revenue.
Credit: Fraser Institute
Tegan Hill, Director of Alberta Policy at the Fraser Institute and co-author of the report, said many Canadians may not fully understand the scale of Alberta’s role in federal finances.
“Many Canadians don’t realize what a sizeable contribution Albertans make to federal finances and how taxpayers in other provinces benefit from it,” Hill said.
The Fraser Institute links Alberta’s position to relatively high employment rates, higher average incomes and a younger population. Those factors, the report says, help explain why Albertans contribute more to federal revenues and national programs than they receive through transfers and federal spending.
Hill said the issue matters as federalism becomes a larger part of national policy discussions, adding that Canadians and policymakers should understand how Alberta’s annual contribution affects the wider country.
