Economics

Budget 2013 Issue Note - The Canada Job Grant and Federal Funding for Skills Training

Mar 28, 2013 12:32 PM The new Canada Job Grant was one of the main items promoted in the Federal 2013 Budget. This will provide up to $15,000 per person for short-duration training, with up to $5,000 provided by the federal government to be matched by similar amounts from provinces and territories and employers, starting in March 2014. The budget estimates 130,000 will benefit from this upon full implementation.

Budget 2013 Issue Note - Infrastructure Funding and Public Private Partnerships

Mar 28, 2013 12:38 PM The biggest and one of the most anxiously awaited announcements in the 2013 Federal Budget was the new long-term infrastructure program to replace the seven year Building Canada program set to expire March 2014. As was widely anticipated, the federal government committed to a new program, but with funding considerably less than what the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and its partners through the Municipal Infrastructure Forum (including CUPE), had called for.

Economy at work: Women still face pay gaps nationwide

Mar 6, 2013 11:58 AM The wage gap for women is shrinking, but at a slow pace. The average hourly wage for Canadian women was $21.85 last year, 86 per cent of the average hourly wage paid to men. This gap is improved from the 82 per cent ratio 15 years ago, but at this rate of progress it will take another 40 to 50 years to close the gap.

CUPE’s “Battle of the Wages” proves Fraser Institute wrong

Feb 25, 2013 03:50 PM The Fraser Institute is rolling out a series of reports attacking public sector workers, which glosses over the statistical evidence, and ignores previous research that counters their ideology.

Economy at work: Economic news you can use

Oct 9, 2012 09:02 AM We’re excited to launch the newest addition to CUPE’s publication family, Economy at work. Written by CUPE’s Senior Economist, Toby Sanger, Economy at work breaks down economic issues that affect average Canadians. Wages, inflation, the cost of housing and education, investment in public services—these are the economic issues that matter to Canadian workers. You’ll find the latest on these issues and more in Economy at work.

Economic Fundamentals: How do we measure economic growth and price changes?

Sep 28, 2012 12:01 PM We hear about the economy growing, shrinking, or stagnating (but rarely taking a break). What are the main economic indicators and what do they measure? What does that mean?

Ontario Liberal budget choices ignore human tragedies

May 2, 2013 04:15 PM With today’s provincial budget, the Ontario Liberals chose to ignore the mounting human tragedies in communities across the province, said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario.

Community groups queue at Queen’s Park

Apr 22, 2013 11:27 AM Community groups and CUPE members symbolically queued up in front of Queen’s Park today. They stood in frustration, like the more than two million Ontarians who have been left waiting for government action on vital public services and poverty reduction.

CUPE cautiously optimistic with Manitoba budget

Apr 17, 2013 02:15 PM While today’s Manitoba budget announcement did not include significant funding increases to public services, CUPE is pleased that the budget does not include continued wage freezes for public sector workers.

CUPE calls for immediate government action on tax havens

Apr 4, 2013 03:56 PM A recent CBC report shows the urgent need for the Canadian government to tackle the growing issue of tax havens and make sure that the wealthiest Canadians are paying their fair share of taxes.