Do you ever get the feeling that the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is the biggest drain on the Canadian economy? When people hear and see comments from outsiders and insiders that suggest that, then they could start to believe it. People associate "welfare state" or receiving "welfare" with references to our province, and others. The meaning of such terms as we know, is often interpreted to mean someone who is a slack, lazy, conniving and deceitful opportunist. Eight of ten (8/10) provinces are currently receiving equalization payments. See the numbers and per capita amounts below.
From the Federal Department of
Finance, these are the Major Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories.
| Equalization Payments ($ millions) |
| Province | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| NL | 861 | 632 |
| PEI | 277 | 291 |
| NS | 1,344 | 1,386 |
| NB | 1,348 | 1,451 |
| PQ | 4,798 | 5,539 |
| MB | 1,601 | 1,709 |
| SK | 82 | 13 |
| BC | 590 | 260 |
| ON | -- | -- |
| AB | -- | -- |
| Total Health & Social Transfers ($ millions) |
| Province | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| NL | 775 | 778 |
| PE | 208 | 214 |
| NS | 1,410 | 1,445 |
| NB | 1,132 | 1,158 |
| PQ | 11,435 | 11,815 |
| MB | 1,769 | 1,819 |
| SK | 1,493 | 1,523 |
| BC | 6,404 | 6,652 |
| ON | 18,889 | 19,581 |
| AB | 4,922 | 5,198 |
Estimated Per Capita Transfer ($ )
|
| NL | PE | NS | NB | PQ |
| 2,687 | 3,428 | 2,876 | 3,290 | 2,181 |
| |
| MB | SK | BC | ON | AB |
| 2,861 | 1,545 | 1,619 | 1,545 | 1,544 |
