EN FR

Baseball: Bronfman asking for the equivalent of 54,000 Quebecers total income tax bills

Author: 2021/12/14

MONTRÉAL, QC – Billionaire Stephen Bronfman’s group is asking for a subsidy equivalent to 54,000 Quebecers income taxes in a bid to bring a part-time baseball team to Montreal, according to calculations from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“We find it hard to believe that a billionaire’s ballpark project is the best place to spend 54,000 Quebecers’ income taxes,” said CTF Quebec Director Renaud Brossard. “Especially when looking at the state of our health-care system and the fact Quebecers are already the most heavily taxed people on the continent.”

The group led by Bronfman is asking for up to $300 million in subsidies from the government of Quebec. Their project involves the construction of a new baseball stadium in Montreal and attracting the Tampa Bay Rays to play half their season there.

The Government of Quebec expects to take an average of $5,600 in income tax revenue from every taxpayer this year.

A review of economic literature on the topic found “no substantial evidence” of economic gains from such subsidies.

Fully 83 per cent of economists found subsidies for stadium construction to be a bad deal for taxpayers.

“Decades of economic research have shown taxpayers lose systematically when their governments subsidize stadium construction,” said Brossard. “Rejecting this subsidy ask should be a no-brainer and we can’t understand why the government hasn’t already done so.”


A Note for our Readers:

Is Canada Off Track?

Canada has problems. You see them at gas station. You see them at the grocery store. You see them on your taxes.

Is anyone listening to you to find out where you think Canada’s off track and what you think we could do to make things better?

You can tell us what you think by filling out the survey

Join now to get the Taxpayer newsletter

Franco Terrazzano
Federal Director at
Canadian Taxpayers
Federation

Join now to get the Taxpayer newsletter

Hey, it’s Franco.

Did you know that you can get the inside scoop right from my notebook each week? I’ll share hilarious and infuriating stories the media usually misses with you every week so you can hold politicians accountable.

You can sign up for the Taxpayer Update Newsletter now

Looks good!
Please enter a valid email address

We take data security and privacy seriously. Your information will be kept safe.

<