The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, paid a visit to the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon, on April 14, 2023, to highlight the investments that Budget 2023 will make to advance reconciliation.
Canada’s recovery from the COVID recession has been remarkable. Over the past year, Canada’s economic growth was the strongest of the G7 countries, and 830,000 more Canadians now have jobs than before the pandemic. Canada’s unemployment rate is at or close to its all-time low, and inflation has decreased for eight consecutive months. The labor force participation rate for women aged 25 to 54 reached a record high of 85.7% in February, supported by our nation-wide system of affordable early learning and child care.
Budget 2023 builds on this significant accomplishment.
The budget provides $198.3 billion, including $331 million for Yukon, to strengthen Canada’s universal public health care system by reducing backlogs, expanding access to family health services, and ensuring that provinces and territories can provide the high-quality and timely health care that Canadians expect and deserve. Financial plan 2023 additionally presents the new Canadian Dental Consideration Intend to help up to 9 million Canadians and guarantee no Canadian needs to pick either dealing with their wellbeing and covering their bills toward the month’s end.
To make life more reasonable, Spending plan 2023 conveys the new Staple Discount, offering designated expansion alleviation for 11 million Canadians and families who need it most with up to an extra $467 for qualified couples with kids; for single Canadians without children, an additional $234; and an average of $225 more for seniors. In addition, the government is taking steps to reduce credit card transaction fees for small businesses, combat junk fees and predatory lending, and assist Canadians in keeping more money in their pockets.
The budget makes significant investments to combat climate change and create new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses in order to build Canada’s clean economy. This includes significant measures that will generate well-paying jobs, support investments in our communities, and provide cleaner and more affordable energy.
The government will continue to build a Canada that is more secure, more sustainable, and more affordable for everyone from coast to coast through the implementation of Budget 2023, a responsible fiscal plan that will maintain Canada’s lowest deficit and lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio among the G7 nations.
