The province’s ability to manage its finances has a significant impact on our ability to attract investment, grow our economy and increase productivity. To build and maintain a strong economy, governments must commit themselves to sound management of public finances. A low debt-to-GDP ratio, a “right size” public sector, and reasonable government spending allow government the flexibility to respond to unexpected economic downturns when they occur. Responsible fiscal management and competitive tax policies encourage employers to invest and grow, creating jobs and contributing to a higher standard of living for all Newfoundlanders & Labradorians.
Provincial government fiscal policy
Position Papers
Response to THE BIG RESET Report of the Premier’s Economic Recovery Team (PERT)
Response to THE BIG RESET Report of the Premier’s Economic Recovery Team (PERT) [...]
Incentivizing Business and Young Families to Put Down Roots in NL – NLEC Submission to NL Tax Review
Incentivizing Business and Young Families to Put Down Roots in NL – NLEC Submission to NL Tax Review [...]
Another Way Forward
Another Way Forward [...]
Employers Council Shadow Budget 2016
Employers Council Shadow Budget 2016 [...]
Report by Professor Tom Clift and Dr. Tom Cooper- January 2016
NLEC-clift-cooperReport-jan2016 [...]
Opportunities & Solutions – Briefing Note for the Provincial Liberal Government
Briefing Note for the Provincial Liberal Government [...]
A Plan for Sustainable Prosperity – NLEC Submission to LEAP
Submission to the Liberal Economic Assessment Project (LEAP) [...]
Acheiving Sustainable Prosperity – Benchmarking the competitiveness of NL
6956_AchievingSustainableProsperity_RPT FINAL [...]
A Plan for Newfoundland & Labrador – 2015 Position on Provincial Budget Priorities
PROVINCIAL_BUDGET_2015_POSITION [...]
Shaping our Future through Competitive Policy – NLEC position on 2014 Provincial Budget Priorities
NLEC_Submission_to_Pre-Budget_Consultation_2014 [...]
Sustaining Prosperity for Future Generations – NLEC Position on 2013 Provincial Budget Priorities
NLEC_Submission_to_Pre-Budget_Consultation [...]
What’s Good for the Goose isn’t Good for the Gander: The need to reduce inequity between public and private sector pensions
Whats_Good_for_the_Goose_Isnt_Good_for_the_Gander_-_Final_Copy [...]
Need to Eliminate Health and Post Secondary Education Tax
Payroll_Tax_Feb_12_FINAL_version [...]
News items relating to Provincial government fiscal policy
Employers’ Council reacts to the fiscal update
Latest NewsProvincial BudgetProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyNovember 7, 2023
The Employers’ Council has been in the news reacting to the mid year financial update by the Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Siobhan Coady. View some of our media [...]
Employers’ Council reacts to ‘The Big Reset’
On Thursday, May 6th, Dame Moya Greene released the long awaited report from the Premier’s Economic Recovery Team. The report entitled ‘The Big Reset’ highlighted [...]
Employers’ Council calls for credible plan to fix spending problem
Latest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyFebruary 2, 2021
The Employers’ Council has been in the news this week calling for a credible plan to modernize and reform government program delivery and address our province’s spending [...]
Government delivers “more of the same” in pandemic Budget
Speech provides hope that action on spending reform to come next year New Finance Minister Siobhan Coady released her first budget yesterday amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The delayed [...]
COVID-19 Supply Chain & Fiscal Situation
Latest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyAugust 12, 2020
The Employers’ Council has been in the media discussing the continued challenges faced by NL businesses due to COVID-19, as well as the need for swift action by the incoming [...]
NL Employers’ Council reacts to $2.1 B deficit
Latest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyAugust 4, 2020
Minister Tom Osborne presented the provincial fiscal update on Friday, July 24th. The provincial deficit is now $2.1 billion, which is more than double the projected deficit in the [...]
Elected officials must put politics aside and develop a plan to fix the fiscal crisis
Latest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyJune 9, 2020
The Employers’ Council sent a letter to all elected officials in NL yesterday, asking them to use the reopening of the House of Assembly today as an opportunity to develop a [...]
Business needs more timely support from government
The NL Employers’ Council was in the news this week calling for more timely support from the provincial government to help businesses survive Covid-19 shutdowns, and swifter [...]
Employers’ Council creates media buzz on “Transforming our Future”
Latest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyMarch 6, 2020
The NL Employers’ Council generated significant media coverage last week by securing interviews for guest speakers from our Transforming our Future summit on all major news [...]
Employers’ Council speaks out as fiscal situation worsens
Latest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyDecember 20, 2019
Finance Minister Tom Osborne issued the fall fiscal update last week, showing the deficit for 2019-20 had grown to $943-million. This is up significantly from the $575 million [...]
Employers’ Council disappointed with increased spending and little tax relief in 2019 Provincial Budget
The NL Employers’ Council was in the media in April reacting to the 2019 Provincial Budget. Click here to watch Jaclyn Sullivan provide live reaction to the budget on CBC [...]
Employers’ Council presents to provincial tax Review Committee: Emphasizes urgent need to make taxes competitive
This week, the Employers’ Council presented to the provincial Tax Review Committee, a five person committee appointed by government. The committee will make recommendations [...]
Moody’s releases report today echoing Employers’ Council analysis that government plan is risky
In a report released today Moody’s substantiated the Employers’ Council’s analysis as risky. “The province’s forecast to balance the books by 2022/23 [...]
“Stay the course budget” brings modest tax relief to business, but does little to improve fiscal situation
Finance Minster Tom Osborne brought down his first provincial budget on Tuesday. Budget brings modest tax relief Removal of the payroll tax has been a longtime advocacy issue for [...]
ED’s Blog: Why did Tom Osborne give away his right?
By Richard Alexander, NL Employers’ Council Executive Director Many in our province were shocked and stunned when Finance Minister Osborne gave away his right to adjust the [...]
Employers’ Council raises red-flag on tentative NAPE agreement with government
Reports emerged this week that a tentative agreement between NAPE and government includes a wage freeze, buyout and elimination of severance for all NAPE employees, and a no-layoff [...]
Employers’ Council releases “Another Way Forward”, an alternative to government’s fiscal plan.
The Employers’ Council launched Another Way Forward today, an alternative to government’s fiscal plan developed with research from the Conference Board of Canada. This [...]
Employers’ Council reacts to tax review: Without action to reduce spending, committee may be set up for failure
Yesterday Finance Minister Tom Osborne announced an independent review of the provincial tax code, to be completed in September 2018 with the final report expected in November 2018 [...]
Spending reform still needed: Employers’ Council reaction to Budget 2017
Finance Minister Cathy Bennett brought down her second provincial budget yesterday. -Due to higher than expected oil revenue, this year’s deficit was revised to $1.1 B, down [...]
Employers’ Council counters CUPE’s protest against Public Private Partnerships
The Employers’ Council has been in the media countering the Canadian Union of Public Employee’s (CUPE) campaign against Public Private Partnerships (P3s). CUPE’s [...]
Employers’ Council ramps up BigGovNL campaign following cancellation of fall supplemental budget
The Employers’ Council has ramped up our Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for Big Government campaign following the premier’s announcement that there will be no fall [...]
ED’s Blog: You Didn’t Ask for the Biggest Govt in Canada – You Just Paid For It
By Richard Alexander, NL Employers’ Council Executive Director Like most of you, I was shocked when the provincial government decided to deal with our deficit predominantly [...]
ED’s Blog: Premier Ball is Writing History
By Richard Alexander, NL Employers’ Council Executive Director If you read history, you realize that there are moments that challenge every political leader. What defines that [...]
Employers’ Council Shadow Budget calls for $1B in cost savings over 4 years
The NL Employers’ Council released a provincial Shadow Budget on April 13th, developed with research conducted by the Conference Board of Canada. The Conference Board examined [...]
WHY WAIT IN LINE? report on Partnership continues to make headlines
Employer’s Council Executive Director Richard Alexander will speak to the Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, March 22nd about how partnerships with the private [...]
Employers’ Council calls for government partnerships with private sector
The NL Employers’ Council held a press conference yesterday to release findings of a study into the need to increase partnerships with the private and not-for-profit sectors [...]
NLEC asks Liberal government for strong leadership and fiscal discipline
Finance Minister Cathy Bennett and Premier Dwight Ball released the mid-year fiscal update yesterday, confirming a record breaking deficit of nearly $2 billion. The NL [...]
BoomOrBust 2015 Blog – Advice for our next Premier
Annual ConferenceLatest NewsProvincial Government Fiscal PolicyNovember 16, 2015
By Richard Alexander, NL Employers’ Council Executive Director The latest Abacus Data poll shows the Liberals sailing to a large majority government on November 30th. What is [...]
NLEC reacts to Budget 2015
Finance Minister Ross Wiseman brought down the 2015 Budget for Newfoundland & Labrador on April 30th in the House of Assembly. NLEC Executive Director, Richard Alexander reacted [...]
Premier announces public-private partnership on long term care – acknowledges NLECs work on issue
Premier Paul Davis announced today at a press conference that government will add 360 new long term care beds through engagement with public and not-for-profit providers. In his [...]
Richard Alexander discusses province’s finances on this week’s On Point with David Cochrane
Richard Alexander, NL Employers’ Council Executive Director was one of the guests on this week’s On Point with David Cochrane on CBC. Alexander discussed the [...]
Premier commits to Sovereign Wealth Fund after NLEC lobby
Commitment to the creation of a sovereign wealth fund was one of the NLECs key asks in pre-budget consultations, and one of the recommendations from our Conference Board of Canada [...]
NLEC releases Conference Board of Canada Report Benchmarking NL against Competitors
The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) released key findings of a Conference Board of Canada study that examines Newfoundland and Labrador’s strengths and weaknesses relative [...]
NLEC asks government for meaningful spending reform and a plan to save for our future
NL Employers’ Council Executive Director Richard Alexander presented to Finance Minister Ross Wiseman Friday, asking him to address the looming deficit by introducing [...]
NLEC calls on government to think long term about province’s finances
The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) is imploring the provincial government to change the way they manage our province’s finances. Instead of budgeting at the maximum price of oil as [...]
Government finally implements public sector pension reform after long lobby by NLEC
Provincial Government Fiscal PolicyPublic Sector Pension ReformSeptember 5, 2014
After a long lobby by the NLEC, Premier Tom Marshall announced Tuesday, September 2nd, that a deal has been reached between government and unions to reform the majority of public [...]
Myths and realities of public sector pensions
In this weekend’s Telegram, the NLEC debunked myths and state realities concerning public sector pensions in our province in a letter to the editor. Union leaders have taken [...]
NLEC asks province to tackle debt, decrease spending and reallocate resources to immigration
The NLEC is encouraging the province to tackle debt, reduce spending, create a competitive tax regime and shift resources towards immigration in Budget 2014. View the NLEC’s [...]
Provincial government initiates review of public sector pensions after multi-year lobby by NLEC
Provincial Government Fiscal PolicyPublic Sector Pension ReformSeptember 20, 2013
For the last 3-4 years, the NLEC has been lobbying government to reduce our province’s net debt, specifically the $5 Billion in unfunded pension and other post retirement [...]
NLEC asks government to reduce spending and restructure pensions at pre-budget consultations
Provincial Government Fiscal PolicyPublic Sector Pension ReformFebruary 19, 2013
The NLEC has been an advocate for employers during the 2013 pre budget consultations. Executive Director, Richard Alexander stressed the urgency to reduce government spending and [...]
2012 Provincial Budget delivers two out of four NLEC requests
Fails to make tough decisions in two key areas The 2012 Provincial Budget, released Tuesday, delivered on two of the NLEC’s pre-budget requests by reducing government spending [...]
NLEC asks for review of public sector pensions at pre-budget consultations
Provincial Government Fiscal PolicyPublic Sector Pension ReformJanuary 15, 2012
NLEC Executive Director Richard Alexander addressed Minister of Finance Tom Marshall Friday as part of government’s pre-budget consultations. Alexander urged government to [...]
Finance Minister Tom Marshall tells NLEC he wants to eliminate payroll tax
In a recent letter to NL Employers’ Council Executive Director, Richard Alexander, Finance Minister Tom Marshall expressed, in writing, his desire to eliminate payroll tax [...]
NLEC gets movement on payroll tax
In yesterday’s provincial budget government announced an increase in the payroll tax threshold by $200,000 – to $1.2 million in payroll, retroactive to January 1, 2011 [...]
NLEC speaks out on Public Sector Pensioners Coalition’s calls for increased pension benefits
The NLEC has been in the media recently taking exception to the NL Public Sector Pensioners Coalition’s (NLSPC) calls for increased pension benefits. The NLPSPC has said they [...]