Feb 1, 2020
OTTAWA — A federal program that tops up provincial revenues in response to sudden economic downturns won't be getting any changes until at least this spring.
Finance ministers in Alberta and Saskatchewan say they expected short-term fixes to the fiscal stabilization fund earlier than that and are now wary they will have to wait until after the federal budget to learn about the impact on their own finances.
The program, which has not changed since 1995, provides help to provinces facing a year-over-year decline in non-resource revenues, but the money available to eligible provinces is capped at just $60 per resident.