2007 Canadian Government Budgets

- the October 30 Federal Economic Statement 2007
- the April 26 Newfoundland and Labrador Budget 2007
- the April 19 Alberta Budget 2007
- the April 19 Yukon Budget 2007
- the April 10 PEI Budget 2007
- the April 4 Manitoba 2007 Budget
- the March 23 Nova Scotia Budget 2007
- the March 22 Ontario Budget 2007 + analysis/critique by a number of groups + CCPA's Ontario Alternative Budget 2007
- the March 22/07 Saskatchewan Budget 2007 + CCPA's Saskatchewan Alternative Budget 2007
- the March 19/07 Federal Budget 2007 + analysis, critique and review
- the March 15/07 CCPA Alternative Federal Budget 2007
- the March 13/07 New Brunswick Budget
- the March 7/07 Nunavut Budget 2007
- the February 20/07 British Columbia Budget 2007
- the February 20/07 Québec Budget 2007
- the February 8/07 Northwest Territories 2007 Budget
- the February 7/07 Federal Government online budget consultations

News Release
October 30, 2007
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today presented the Government’s 2007 Economic Statement, which proposes broad-based tax relief for all Canadians, including a further reduction of the goods and services tax (GST).

October 30, 2007
Table of contents:
* Overview * Speech * Introduction
* Chapters:
1. Recent Economic Developments and Prospects
2. Fiscal Projections
3. Broad-Based Tax Reductions for Canadians
Annex
Tax Measures: Supplementary Information and Notices of Ways and Means Motions
* Notices of Ways and Means Motions

"...bold new steps to build a better Canada:
* Reducing taxes further for Canadians, including a further reduction in the goods and services tax (GST).
* Establishing a new era of declining business taxation.
* Reducing the federal debt by $10 billion this year."

Source:

Related links:

October 30, 2007
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has tabled a motion that calls for $60 billion in tax cuts over the next five years, including a further cut in the GST to five per cent, effective Jan. 1. News of the GST cut came in an economic statement delivered Tuesday afternoon by Flaherty. Normally, the statement contains little more than an update on the government's fiscal position. Not this time.
Source:

October 30, 2007
Ottawa — Finance Minister Flaherty is once again promising billions more in tax cuts which will provide little lasting benefit to working families, says CUPE National President Paul Moist.
Source:

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April 26, 2007
- incl. links to : Budget Speech - - Estimates - The Economy - News Releases

News Release
- incl. measures for people with disabilities, low income families, women, youth and seniors (Poverty Reduction Strategy)
Source:
- links to a dozen releases

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Newfoundland provincial budget 2007, analysis"



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April 19, 2007
News Release
Budget highlights:
* 14th consecutive balanced budget; $2.2 billion estimated surplus
* $18.2 billion for infrastructure over three years, including $3 billion for health facilities and equipment and $1.3 billion for schools
* Phase-in of a new $1.4 billion Municipal Sustainability Initiative
* 10 per cent operating spending increase to address growth pressures and improve services
* Nearly $200 million in annual income tax savings for Albertans and $22 million for businesses in 2007
* Increased tax credits for charitable donations and post-secondary students; higher tobacco taxes
* A new in-year surplus allocation policy
* Program spending reviews and tight in-year operating spending limits

- incl. links to all budget papers

- budget info affecting:
* All Albertans * Parents * Seniors * People with disabilities * Low-income Albertans
Selected budget measures:
* $16 million increase in child-care spending
* $20 million to support grants to the Registered Education Savings Plans for children born in 2005 and later, and students aged eight, 11 and 14.
* increased funding to cover tuition costs
* Increased funding for seniors will help to cover higher dental costs and assist seniors with remaining in their home in their community.
* Increased funding for seniors lodges including funding for more units and for lodge operators to provide supports to clients with higher needs.
* Ongoing funding will continue to deliver the Alberta Seniors Benefit program for low-income seniors, and provides all seniors care coverage, education property tax assistance and Aids to Daily Living support.
* Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) benefits increased by $50/month, bringing the total to $1050 per month. This is the third increase in as many years.
* Program funding for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) increases 3.5 per cent to $526 million (...). Funding for PDD has increased by 90 per cent since 1999 while caseloads have grown by 20 per cent.
* A 10-year cross-ministry plan is being implemented to reduce the incidence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
* Funding has increased for Family Support for Children with Disabilities to address increased demand and improve services in rural areas.
* More support for children with special needs in school.
* A five per cent increase in core income support benefits for people on income support who are considered not able to work or who are temporarily unable to work and to all learners.
* Budget 2007 also continues key programs such as: child health benefits, seniors’ benefits and employment and training programs that assist people in need.

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Alberta provincial budget 2007, analysis"



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April 19, 2007
- incl. links to all budget papers

(PDF file - 48K, 3 pages)

April 20, 2007
Yukon welfare recipients and anti-poverty activists were disappointed to find no change in social assistance rates in the territory's latest budget. Premier Dennis Fentie delivered a projected $862-million budget on Thursday, the largest in the territory's history. Many who attended the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition's monthly meeting late Thursday had been hoping the big budget would include an increase in monthly social assistance payments. Coalition co-chair Ross Findlater said he was "quite disappointed" with the news.
Source:

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Yukon budget 2007"



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April 10, 2007

(HTML)
(PDF)
NOTE: For Estimates of Revenue and Expenses and Capital Estimates, click the PEI Provincial Budget link above and select the file you wish to read.

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Prince Edward Island provincial budget 2007, analysis"



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April 4, 2007
- incl. links to : Minister's Budget Message - Speech - Budget In Brief - The Summary Budget - Budget Papers - The Manitoba Advantage - Manitoba's Action Strategy for Economic Growth - Estimates of Expenditure and Revenue -
Tax Savings Estimator - News Releases - 2007 Budget Documents Request Form

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Manitoba provincial budget 2007, analysis"



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March 23, 2007
- incl. links to:
* Budget Address * Budget Assumptions and Schedules * Budget Bulletins ( Better/Safer Communities - Connected Communities - Debt Management - Healthy Communities - Key Tax Measures - Prosperous Communities - Smart Communities) * Estimates * Estimates Supplementary Details * Crown Corporation Business Plans * Government Business Plan

Source:

[ ]

- from the

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Nova Scotia provincial budget 2007, analysis"



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March 22, 2007
- incl. links to : Budget Speech * - detailed table of contents with links to all related documents* News Release * * Business Backgrounder * (Ontario Child Benefit info)* Economy Backgrounder * Education Backgrounder * Environment Backgrounder * * Health Backgrounder * Infrastructure Backgrounder * Rural Backgrounder * Property Tax Backgrounder * Federal Backgrounder * Ontario Child Benefit Calculator
NOTE: I've highlighted only selected links above - to access all budget links, click the main budget link above and select from the links down the left margin of the page.

$2.1 Billion to Help Children and Families, and a Return to Balanced Budgets
March 22, 2007
News Release
Queen’s Park —The McGuinty government’s fourth Budget expands opportunity for all Ontarians by investing in children, continuing to strengthen education, health care and infrastructure and balancing the Budget.

- from Barbara Anello of )
March 22, 2007
"Point of clarification: please note that the March 22/07 Ontario Budget did NOT put an end to the clawback."
Budget reactions:
- People from across Ontario are saying Dalton McGuinty's "Don't Believe it Budget" fails to deliver
- CUPE Ontario: Ontario's families will wait for years to benefit from McGuinty's "war" on poverty
- Wellesley Institute: Thanks for the thoughts, but where's the money?
- Ontario Federation of Labour : Wait ...Wait ...Wait
- Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act Alliance Update: What the Ontario Budget Includes on Disability/Accessibility
- John Tory: McGuinty's Budget: No relief, few results for average taxpayers
- Canadian Auto Workers: Ontario Budget Falls Short of Expectations, Hargrove says
- Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation: Ontario budget increases overall education funding but local programs may still suffer
- Canadian Federation of Students: Ontario Budget Forecast for Students: Higher Tuition Fees and More Debt
- Daily Bread Food Bank: Budget's Ontario Child Benefit gets thumbs up from Daily Bread Food Bank
- Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario: Elementary Teachers Applaud Government Focus on Education
- Community Living Ontario: McGuinty Government's Commitment to Developmental Services Encouraging
- Ontario Association of Food Banks: OAFB welcomes first step on a long journey to reduce poverty in Ontario
- United Ways of Ontario: Budget Addresses Needs of Vulnerable Ontarians
Source:

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Ontario provincial budget 2007, analysis"



Source:

Related link:

(PDF file - 60K, 4 pages)
08 Dec 2006
The costs of Ontario's affordable housing crisis and homelessness disaster to individuals, communities and government are enormous, yet Ontario's housing spending has been dropping sharply since 2000 and is currently at 14 cents per person per day. The Wellesley Institute, in our provincial pre-budget submission on housing and homelessness, is calling on the Ontario government to:
o honour the housing commitments that it made in 2003;
o stop blocking the $392.5 million in stalled federal housing dollars;
o and, upload the cost of housing back to the provincial level and increase overall housing spending to 25 cents per capita per day as a first step to ramping up housing spending to meet housing need.

Source:

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What's New from the :

Press Release
March 5, 2007
TORONTO—Four years after the McGuinty Liberals have been in office, Ontario is still living under the shadow of the Mike Harris/Ernie Eves government, says the 2007 Ontario Alternative Budget (OAB).

(PDF File, 2.1MB, 64 pages)
The McGuinty Liberals were elected in 2003 on the strength of Ontarians’ hopes that their new government would lift the dark cloud over public services left behind by the Harris-Eves Conservative era. There was great promise this new government would restore Ontario to a position of leadership on the key issues of the day. Measured against those expectations, the McGuinty government has, quite simply, been a disappointment.

(PDF file - 166K, 10 pages)

(PDF file - 150K, 6 pages)
Ontario Alternative Budget Technical Paper #2
February 2007
The Ontario government spends about 14 cents per person per day on affordable housing — less than half the amount spent in 2000 — even though the province’s population and its housing needs continue to grow significantly.

(PDF file - 111K, 8 pages)
Ontario Alternative Budget Technical Paper #1
November 15, 2006
In evaluating Ontario’s budget balance forecasts for 2006–07 and beyond, it is important to take note of two key facts. First, the government has adopted a practice of underestimating revenue and overestimating expenditures in its budget forecasts. (...) This has enabled the government to claim extraordinary progress towards its goal of eliminating the deficit that it inherited in 2003-04. Second, Finance Minister Gregory Sorbara is also the chair of the Liberals’ re-election campaign.
Press Release:

November 15, 2006

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March 22, 2007
- incl. links to : 2007-08 Budget Summary Book - 2007-08 Budget Estimates - 2007-08 Financial Highlights

(PDF file - 251K, 35 pages)

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Saskatchewan provincial budget 2007, analysis"



Source:

Addressing Poverty and Inequality during a Time of Prosperity
March 21, 2007
* - PDF File, 498 Kb
* - PDF File, 129 Kb
Source:

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March 19
- incl. Speech * Overview * Themes * The Budget Plan * Quick Index

* : Highlights from each chapter in the Budget Plan.

* : A concise summary of the Budget.

Source:

Themes:

Environment and Health

Tax Relief

Fiscal Balance

Security

Capital Markets

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Related links (analysis, reaction, followup):

March 29, 2007
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today introduced a bill in the House of Commons to implement tax measures proposed in Budget 2007 and detailed in the Notice of Ways and Means Motion tabled on March 27, 2007
Source:

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"federal budget 2007, analysis"



Source:

June 12, 2007
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, is pleased that key measures proposed in Budget 2007 were passed today by the House of Commons.
- incl. a summary of Budget 2007 measures
Source:

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From :

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From :

March 20, 2007
Source:

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From the :

March 20, 2007
Budget 2007 erodes the federal government’s capacity to improve the lives of working people. Tax cuts will benefit profitable corporations without increasing investment in the Canadian economy. The federal government will continue subsidizing oil-sands extraction for nearly a decade. Increased transfers to provincial governments may serve important public purposes, but the Budget’s general thrust is to reduce the proportion of Canada’s economic resources devoted to such purposes.

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From the :

(PDF file - 93K, 24 pages)
In bringing down the 2007 Budget, the Finance Minister wanted all to know that he had listened to Canadians. He had talked to ordinary people on the streets. He sat down with folks in coffee shops across the country. He crafted the Federal Budget on the basis of these conversations. The result is a very mixed brew.

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From the :

March 20, 2007
Harper’s second budget is clearly targeted as an election-ready budget aimed at strengthening their foothold in the middle: middle-income, middle of the country, and middle of the political spectrum.

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From :

Wellesley Institute backgrounder: A first look at the 2007 federal budget
The 2007 federal budget entirely ignores Canada’s nation-wide affordable housing crisis and homelessness disaster, and is light when it comes to other social determinants of health.
Source:

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From the :

March 19, 2007
OTTAWA—Today’s federal budget may be a short-term attempt to buy votes but it fails to address the long-term priorities of most Canadians, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

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Garth Turner's unadulterated views on the 2007 Budget of his former party
[NOTE: scroll down the main page for several blog entries about the 2007 federal budget.]

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From the :

Federal Budget 2007: What does it mean for early learning and child care?

FEDERAL BUDGET 2007
19 Mar 07
Federal budget announces $250 million transfer for early learning and child care. Funding will flow to provinces through the Canada Social Transfer after a transitional year.

Excerpt from the Budget Plan:
Budget 2007 proposes to provide a 25-per-cent investment tax credit to businesses that create new child care spaces in the workplace to a maximum of $10,000 per space created. It also proposes to provide annual additional funding of $250 million to provinces and territories to support the creation of child care spaces that are responsive to the needs of parents, and are administered in an efficient and accountable manner. This funding will continue to grow over time as a result of the annual 3-per-cent escalator that is part of the renewed CST.

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Responses to Budget from NGOs
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BUDGET MESSAGE ON CHILD CARE: LET PARENTS EAT CAKE
Code Blue for Child Care, 19 Mar 07
http://www.buildchildcare.ca/www/News/Budget_message_on_ch

HARPER’S CUT AND RUN APPROACH HURTING FAMILIES
Child Care Advocacy Association, 19 Mar 07

CCCF URGES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PLAY LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ENSURING QUALITY CHILD CARE FOR FAMILIES
Canadian Child Care Federation, 19 Mar 07

FEDERAL BUDGET FAILS TO MAKE POVERTY REDUCTION A PRIORITY FOR CANADA
Campaign 2000, 19 Mar 07

OPEN LETTER TO LEADERS OF THE FEDERAL OPPOSITION PARTIES
Code Blue for Child Care, 17 Mar 07

HARPER’S FLIP ON CHILD CARE SHOWS GOVERNMENT’S POLICIES A FLOP
Code Blue for Child Care, 15 Mar 07

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Related documents
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ALTERNATIVE FEDERAL BUDGET 2007: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 15 Mar 07

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Reaction from Opposition Parties
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CONSERVATIVE BUDGET FAILS CANADIANS
Liberal Party of Canada, 19 Mar 07
Excerpt: In 2006, the Conservatives promised 125,000 new child care spaces over 5 years. Fourteen months into its mandate, Canadian families are realizing this promise wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on: there have been zero spaces created in the past year. What’s worse, the so-called Universal Child Care benefit – neither universal nor child care – is fully taxable, and the government will rake in an average of $400 per family thanks to this. The 2006 Child Care Plan was a complete failure. Why should Canadians believe the so-called "new approach" will be any better?

BUDGET FAILS TO CLOSE PROSPERITY GAP
NDP, 19 Mar 07
Excerpt: Despite the growing need of working families, this government ignored the call for a universal, accessible and affordable national child care program...

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News articles
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Provinces, territories to share $250M for child-care spaces
Ottawa Citizen, 20 Mar 07

It's a sprinkle of cash for all: Conservatives have worked hard to placate voters
National Post, 20 Mar 07

The winners and losers [CA]
Penticton Herald, 20 Mar 07

Tax break up to $310 to be given for children under 18
Globe and Mail, 20 Mar 07

Child care: Tories do an about-face [CA]
National Post, 19 Mar 07

Tories reverse course on child care [CA]
Macleans, 15 Mar 07

Tories expected to flip-flop on child care spaces [CA]
Ottawa Citizen, 15 Mar 07

Source:

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(federal budget 2007)
March 17, 2007
Helen Henderson
There could be some good news in Monday's federal budget for people with disabilities and their families. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is expected to announce a registered disability savings plan that would help parents set aside money to provide a future for their children. Last year, Flaherty set up a panel of experts to look into the matter. If he follows their recommendations, the plan would work very much like a registered education savings plan and be available to people who qualify for the current disability tax credit.
Source:

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Michael Shapcott
March 16, 2007
The Harper government will deliver its second federal budget on Monday, March 19, 2007. Canada is one of the richest countries in the world, and the federal government continues to run multi-billion dollar surpluses (largely because of huge spending cuts - including housing spending - in the 1980s and 1990s). The Wellesley Institute’s 2007 federal pre-budget housing backgrounder looks at some key issues.
Source:

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From the :

Press Release - Alternative Federal Budget
March 15, 2007
OTTAWA — The Harper government is on the brink of exhausting its fiscal surplus on a pre-election spending plan that is at odds with what Canadians want, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.The Centre released a national Environics poll today showing that any government that takes concrete action to reduce Canada’s growing income gap would enjoy support from the majority of Canadians.

* - PDF File, 855 Kb
* - PDF File, 119 Kb
* - PDF File, 1065 Kb
* - PDF File, 159 Kb

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- New Brunswick
March 13, 2007
The Budget was tabled in the New Brunswick Legislature by Victor Boudreau Minister of Finance on March 13, 2007.
- incl. links to:
* Budget Speech * News release * Fact Sheets * The New Brunswick Economy * Main Estimates * Pre-Budget Consultation Document
Source:

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March 7, 2007
- incl. Budget Address - Budget Highlights - Budget Backgrounder : Accural Base Budgeting - Fiscal and Economic Outlook - Strengthening Financial Management in the Government of Nunavut
Source:

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February 20, 2007
"Balanced Budget 2005 focused on seniors. Balanced Budget 2006 concentrated on the needs of our children. And this budget — the third of five the government will table in its current mandate — is dedicated to housing, which affects us all." (Excerpt from )
- incl. links to all budget papers

News Release
VICTORIA — A comprehensive range of new supports for British Columbians, including a $250 million Housing Endowment Fund, will help address the housing challenges created by a growing economy, Finance Minister Carole Taylor announced today with the release of Balanced Budget 2007.

Budget Highlights

- recommended reading if you want to know what each of the ministries is planning for the next three years.
Here (below) are service plans for the ministries responsible for welfare and children's services in British Columbia (follow to access other ministries' service plans).

Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance

(578K, 52 pages)
NOTE: if you're interested in the "welfare wall" effect (i.e., the potential loss of non-cash benefits such as supplementary health and dental benefits when someone leaves welfare for a job), I highly recommend:

Ministry of Children and Family Development

(332K, 38 pages)

- back to 1995

Related Web/News/Blog links:

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"British Columbia Budget 2007 "



Source:

Related link from the :

Press Release
January 31, 2007
(Vancouver) BC’s budget forecasts have become more fiction than fact, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) in its BC Solutions Budget 2007. Since 2002, provincial budgets have underestimated the year-end balance by a total of $10 billion (based on financial reports from the Ministry of Finance) due to extremely pessimistic revenue projections.

* - PDF file, 330K, 16 pages

* - PDF file, 218K, 4 pages

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February 20, 2007
- incl. links to all budget papers

- incl. * Quebecers' priorities * Better quality of life * Regions and major cities * Sustainable development and the environment * Other sectors targeted by the budget * Québec-Ottawa relations and the fiscal imbalance

(PDF file - 932K, 8 pages)

Related Web/News/Blog links:

Google Search Results Links - always current results!
Using the following search terms (without the quote marks):
"Québec budget "



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Budget
of the Northwest Territories
February 8, 2007
(PDF file - 148K, 13 pages)
(PDF file - 491K, 55 pages)

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February 7, 2007

"The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today launched online consultations, giving Canadians from coast to coast to coast an opportunity to participate in the development of Budget 2007. Canada’s New Government held federal online consultations for the first time during the development of last year’s budget."11
- includes an invitation by the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, to Pre-Budget Web Consultations

Related Link:

NOTE this consultation ends at midnight on February 28, 2007.

Source:

Also from Finance Canada:

January 30

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