Ottawa ‘doubling down’ on foreign aid amid global decline: minister – National

Foreign aid groups are hailing the federal Liberal government’s return to a policy of increasing humanitarian and development spending each year, while asking for a plan to push allies to reverse a global decline in aid. “It was a good moment for Canada to step up and show global leadership by making this commitment of … Read more

Canada’s income gap is growing. Will Budget 2024 help affordability? – National

Higher interest rates last year contributed to the largest gap in income inequality since 2015, according to a new Statistics Canada report. The findings come one day after the federal government tabled its 2024 budget, which one economist says won’t make many short-term differences in Canadians’ bank accounts. The StatCan report released Wednesday said Canada’s … Read more

As Ottawa eyes short-term rental limits, Airbnb says it won’t solve housing crisis – National

The federal government plans to push ahead with its crackdown on short-term rentals in Canada in an effort to alleviate the country’s housing crisis, but Airbnb says home-sharing regulations are not the solution. As part of the 2024 federal budget that was unveiled Tuesday, Ottawa has recommitted to spending $50 million to help municipalities limit … Read more

Does Budget 2024 make it easier to buy a first home in Canada? – National

The Liberal government’s 2024 federal budget tabled Tuesday held a clear focus on “fairness” among generations and efforts to make the housing market more affordable, particularly for younger Canadians feeling frustrated about their homebuying prospects. Experts who spoke to Global News after the budget’s release said there are signs of “hope” in the new spending … Read more

Ottawa looks to launch national flood insurance program within 12 months – National

The federal government says the plan is to implement a long-promised national flood insurance program sometime next year, setting aside $15 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year in Tuesday’s budget. “This is part of a much wider plan, one where we’re looking at how do we do proper mitigation as well,” Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit … Read more

8 key takeaways about what Budget 2024 means for your wallet – National

Affordability is one of the key focuses for the Liberal government in its latest budget, with housing taking centre stage with billions of dollars in sweeping policies targeting major reforms and changes. “Together, we will unlock the door to the middle class for more Canadians and renew the promise of our great country,” Finance Minister … Read more

Budget 2024 tries to sell youth a more affordable life with billions in spending – National

The Liberal government delivered a federal budget on Tuesday geared towards young Canadians, proposing a spending plan that promises to do everything from make it easier to buy a first home to crack down on costly concert ticket fees. “We are acting today to ensure fairness for every generation,” Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister … Read more

Tired of after-hours emails? Budget 2024 plans ‘right to disconnect’ – National

If your boss calls, texts or emails after hours, a change being proposed in Budget 2024 could give some Canadian workers the right to ignore them. Ottawa plans to introduce the “right to disconnect” to protect federally regulated workers from constant ringing and pinging off hours. The Liberal government unveiled the proposed amendment to the … Read more

After 5 years, Budget 2024 lays out promised small business carbon rebate – National

The federal government plans to “urgently return” money collected through the carbon price’s fuel charge to small businesses, making good on a commitment from 2019 to return that money. Billed as the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses, the plan involves more than $2.5 billion that has been collected through the federal fuel charge in … Read more

What Budget 2024 promises on auto theft – plus, nearly $700M for CSIS – National

With the number of stolen cars in Canada surging, Ottawa is bringing in stiffer penalties for auto theft as part of Budget 2024. The federal government is creating new criminal offences to crack down on organized crime, calling it the driving force behind the rise. It will also add new offences related to violent car … Read more