Directing the COVID Recovery: Assessing the Impacts of Potential Stimulus Policies in British Columbia

This impact paper looks at the short- and long-term impacts of stimulus investments in British Columbia’s post-secondary education system and compares the results with those for three other stimulus measures—investment in transport infrastructure, business tax cuts, and personal tax cuts. As well, it looks at the impacts on diversity, in particular on women, immigrants, racialized minorities, and Indigenous people. Some highlights:

• PSE institutions stimulus would generate the largest short-term economic impact. This is true whether measured in jobs, GDP, or government revenues. Transportation infrastructure investments would generate the largest long-term economic impact.
• PSE institutions would result in the most diverse short-term impact, when considering the total additional employment and income for women, racialized minorities, Indigenous people, and immigrants. However, investments in transportation infrastructure would result in larger long-term benefits to these groups.