5.49°C Vancouver

Apr 19, 2021 9:29 PM -

Federal Budget 2021: Highlights from Chrystia Freeland's speech and reaction

Share On
federal-budget-2021-highlights-from-chrystia-freelands-speech-and-reaction
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland responds to a question during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Highlights from the federal Liberal budget tabled Monday by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland:

$30 billion over the next five years, and $8.3 billion ongoing for early learning and child care and Indigenous early learning and child care.

The plan would aim to see an average drop in fees next year by 50 per cent for preschooler daycare spaces and an average of $10-a-day care by 2026.

$3 billion over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Health Canada to support provinces and territories in improving standards for long-term care. The government says this funding will keep seniors safe and improve their quality of life.

$2.2 billion in Canada's bio-manufacturing and life-sciences sector to rebuild Canada's national capacity in bio-manufacturing and vaccine development and production.

Introducing legislation to establish a federal minimum wage of $15 per hour, rising with inflation, with provisions to ensure that where provincial or territorial minimum wages are higher, that wage will prevail.

A new Canada Recovery Hiring Program to provide eligible employers with a subsidy of up to 50 per cent on the incremental remuneration paid to eligible employees between June 6 and November 20.

The program will provide $595 million to make it easier for businesses to hire back laid-off workers or to bring in new ones.

$17.6 billion towards a green recovery to create jobs, build a clean economy, and fight and protect against climate change.

$1 billion over six years, starting in 2021-22, to the Universal Broadband Fund to support a more rapid rollout of broadband projects in collaboration with provinces and territories and other partners.

$18 billion over the next five years to try to narrow the socio-economic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, including $6 billion for infrastructure in Indigenous communities, and $2.2 billion to help end the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

$2.5 billion and reallocate $1.3 billion in existing funding in order to help build, repair or support 35,000 housing units.

Introduce Canada's first national tax on vacant property owned by non-residents.

Introducing a new tax on the sales, for personal use, of luxury cars and personal aircraft with a retail sales price over $100,000, and boats, for personal use, over $250,000.

Includes $100 million in new spending over the next three years.

Records a $155 billion deficit for 2021-22.

Latest news

police-seek-second-suspect-in-fatal-brampton-shooting-issue-canada-wide-warrant
CanadaFeb 27, 2026

Police seek second suspect in fatal Brampton shooting, issue Canada wide warrant

Peel Regional Police homicide investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating a second suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in Brampton last summer. Police say two men entered a residence near Castlemore Road and Humberwest Parkway on August 19, 2025, where two individuals were shot. One of the victims died at the scene, while the second person was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds and later released. In October 2025, officers arrested 24 year old Dilpreet Singh of Brampton and charged him with first degree murder. Investigators have now identified a second sus
rcmp-investigating-vehicle-and-mailbox-vandalism-in-nanaimo
BCFeb 27, 2026

RCMP investigating vehicle and mailbox vandalism in Nanaimo

Police in Nanaimo are appealing for witnesses after a vehicle and several community mailboxes were vandalized overnight earlier this week. According to the Nanaimo RCMP, officers responded to reports of damage in the 900 block of Old Victoria Road on the morning of February 25. A newer model Tesla that had been parked on the roadway was found with deep scratches across the hood and side panels, along with a shattered windshield. Investigators also discovered several Canada Post community mailboxes located a short distance away had been torn from their concrete base. Police say it is not yet cl
canadas-economy-contracts-in-fourth-quarter-of-2025-as-annual-growth-slows
CanadaFeb 27, 2026

Canada’s Economy Contracts in Fourth Quarter of 2025 as Annual Growth Slows

Canada’s economy recorded a contraction in the final three months of 2025, defying earlier expectations of stable growth, according to new data released by Statistics Canada on Friday. The federal agency reported that real gross domestic product declined at an annualized rate of 0.6 per cent in the October to December quarter. Economists had anticipated little to no change during that period. The slowdown was attributed in part to weaker residential investment and lower inventory rebuilding by manufacturers. Statistics Canada said companies met demand by drawing down existing inventories ins
vancouver-police-seek-witnesses-after-pedestrian-struck-in-hit-and-run
BCFeb 27, 2026

Vancouver Police seek witnesses after pedestrian struck in hit and run

Vancouver Police are investigating a hit and run collision that left a 39-year-old woman injured in the Downtown Eastside earlier this week. The incident happened around 11:20 a.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of East Hastings Street and Columbia Street. Police say the woman was crossing the street when she was struck by a black Kenworth dump truck pulling a trailer. She was taken to hospital and remains in stable condition. According to Const. Megan Lui of the Vancouver Police Department, the driver continued westbound after the collision and may not have realized a pedestrian had been hi
delhi-court-acquits-arvind-kejriwal-and-manish-sisodia-in-excise-policy-case-cbi-to-appeal
IndiaFeb 27, 2026

Delhi court acquits Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in excise policy case, CBI to appeal

A Delhi trial court has acquitted former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. In its order, the court said the Central Bureau of Investigation did not present sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations linked to the now-scrapped liquor policy. The judge observed that serious criminal charges require strong and credible proof and cannot be based on assumptions. The case centred on alleged irregularities in the formulation and

Related News