Launching a comprehensive review

Expert Panel established

In March 2005, the federal Minister of Finance announced the beginning of a comprehensive review of both Canada’s Equalization program and Territorial Formula Financing. The review was launched as an outcome of the First Ministers’ Meeting on Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing in October 2004.⁵

In relation to TFF, the Panel was specifically asked to provide advice to
the Government of Canada on:

• The allocation of TFF among the three territories

• Ways of making the payments to the territories more stable and
  predictable

• Ways of measuring the costs of providing services in the territories to assist in future re-evaluations of the overall level of federal support for TFF

• Whether a permanent, independent body should be created to provide ongoing advice to the Government of Canada on the allocation of TFF

• How to address difficult or challenging issues that could be involved in implementing the approach recommended by the Panel

5. For more information, see the Expert Panel’s website at http://www.eqtff-pfft.ca, which features its Discussion Paper outlining key issues for Equalization and TFF.

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