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A recent analysis from the federal government compared the economic damage done to Ontario’s auto sector during the financial crisis to the damage done to Alberta’s energy sector during the recent stretch of low energy prices.

Comparing these two provinces is interesting, not only because they have both endured economic shocks in recent years, but also because Alberta’s government is currently choosing similar policies to the ones that have dampened economic growth in Ontario for years.

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Specifically, like Ontario, Alberta is now running large, sustained budget deficits. In fact, a look at the numbers reveals Alberta is currently faring even worse than Ontario in the years following the financial crisis when it comes to controlling the size of annual budget deficits.

Let’s be clear: Ontario’s fiscal performance in the years during and after the recession was nothing short of disastrous, with the province consistently running large budget deficits and racking up debt at record speed. In fact, after adjusting for population and the size of provincial economies, Ontario piled up debt at a much faster rate than any other province between 2003 and 2015.