Here are seven takeaways from Treasury Secretary Chrystia Freeland’s latest federal budget.
• Also read: Freeland Budget: Canada on the brink of recession
Hotline Suicide Prevention
All you have to do is call 9-8-8 or text, wherever you are in the country for suicide prevention support. The hotline, administered by the Public Health Agency of Canada, will be activated on November 30th. It will cost about $160 million over three years.
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solution to the migration crisis
Photo, Nora T. Lamontagne
The Trudeau government will invest an additional $1 billion this year to provide medical care and temporary shelter to refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly those arriving via Roxham Road. Another $44 million will be spent on legal aid to ensure “Canada’s asylum process is fair” for everyone.
Fight foreign interference
The Department of Public Security will create a National Bureau to Combat Foreign Interference, a move that will cost $13.5 million over five years.
“Dictatorships like Russia, China and Iran believe they can act with impunity and interfere in the affairs of democracies – and democracies must take the necessary steps to defend themselves,” the document said.
In addition, approximately $50 million will be invested over three years to protect citizens who are victims of intimidation by foreign influences.
A unique charger for electronic devices
Ditch the dozens of charging cables lying around in the drawer below. Ottawa announces its intention to force manufacturers to use only one type of charger for electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets and computers. The government hopes to reduce the amount of e-waste generated in the country. With a similar goal, the federal government is working on a policy that will make repairing electronic devices and household appliances easier and more accessible, also known as the “right to repair”.
A loan against inflation
A person living alone or as a couple with two children can get as much as $234 to counteract the impact of inflation on their spending power, especially at the grocery store. The amount granted is graded according to income and the number of people in the household. For reference, a person living alone will receive an amount once their income is less than $49,200. The total of $2.5 billion in assistance will be provided through the Goods and Services Tax (GST) balance and will affect 11 million Canadians.
Money for a freeway in Montreal but not in Quebec
ARCHIVE PHOTO, AGENCY QMI
Ottawa will invest approximately $275 million over nine years to convert part of Montreal’s Bonaventure Expressway into an urban boulevard. The section under federal sovereignty affected by this metamorphosis is the 4.5 km section connecting the Champlain Bridge to downtown Robert-Bourrassa Boulevard. In addition, $750 million will be invested over five years to repair certain crossings to Montreal’s south shore, most notably to repaint the Jacques Cartier Bridge. The federal budget does not provide for any new infrastructure investments for the city of Quebec, neither for its highways nor for a possible third connection.
Countering abuse in sport
The Trudeau administration plans to spend $13.8 million to “increase accountability and support efforts to build a safe and responsible sports system.” What form these measures will take has not been disclosed, but they will aim to protect athletes “from exploitation, harassment and abuse,” the budget document said.
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