Budget 2018 Highlights

Finance Minister Bill Morneau has tabled his third budget. Here is a look at the highlights, new measures and key numbers:

• $21.5B in new spending over 6 years, including the fiscal year just ending.
• $18.1B projected deficit for 2018-19 (including $3B for risk), falling to $12.3B by 2022-23.
• $750M over 5 years to improve cyber security.
• $231M over 5 years to address the opioid crisis, including $165M this year.
• 5 weeks extra leave for two-parent families under the EI Parental Sharing Benefit (June 2019).
• Legislation promised this year on federal pay equity – but no price tag yet.
• $172.6M more over 3 years for clean drinking water on reserves.
• $1.4B over 6 years in new funding for First Nations Child and Family Services.
• $2B over 5 years in additional foreign aid under the Feminist International Assistance Policy.
• $10M over 5 years for an RCMP unit to review 25,000 cases of sex assault deemed “unfounded.”
• $1.3B over 5 years to conserve land, waterways and wildlife and protect species at risk.
• $100M over 5 years to develop rural broadband innovation, including low-earth-orbit satellites.
• New judges – 6 for Ontario, 1 for Saskatchewan – and more money to help ease court backlogs.
• $173M to address irregular border-crossings and asylum seekers.
•  $6M for a new process to hold federal leadership debates during election years.
• $50M over 5 years to one or more independent organizations to support local journalism.
• $30M over 3 years to promote women and girls’ participation in sport.
• $81M over 5 years to help families inadvertently caught up in the no-fly list.
• Free admission for kids to national parks will be made permanent.
• Creation of advisory council on implementing national pharmacare – but no money yet.
• Some retired or little used paper currency will no longer be legal tender.

National Human Trafficking Hotline Human trafficking is a heinous crime that disproportionately affects women and girls, particularly Indigenous, newcomer and low-income individuals. The Government is committed to putting an end to gender-based violence and proposes to provide $14.51 million over five years, beginning in 2018–19, and $2.89 million per year ongoing, to Public Safety Canada to combat human trafficking by establishing a National Human Trafficking Hotline, including an online portal and a referral mechanism to social services and law enforcement. This hotline will help protect those vulnerable to being trafficked and enable victims to access the necessary social and law enforcement services they need. As this initiative proceeds, the Government will work with provinces and territories to ensure effective implementation.