No matter how well-intentioned governments are, when it comes to resource revenue they and the people who elect them, tend to spend now and think later.
We need a better model to avoid large swings that affect our budgets. Saving resource revenue and using the earnings pays off, no matter what governments want to use the resource revenue for, be it tax relief, additional spending or annual dividend payments to residents.
Saving it increases the sustainability of public programs, but because governments get less in the short term, this option is elbowed out of the way by the temptation to spend resource revenue as fast as it comes in. Atlantic provincial government should begin examining how to best improve the stewardship of resource revenue in Atlantic Canada. It will help today and build a better future tomorrow.