Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to rise today to speak to the 2025 budget implementation act.
It is no secret that we are facing a rapidly changing and increasingly uncertain world. In the face of global disruption and uncertainty, Canada's new government is focused on what we can control. This is our plan to transform our economy from one that is reliant on a single trade partner to one that is stronger, more self-sufficient and more resilient to global shocks.
This is a time to invest, especially in the north. Our plan builds on our strengths and delivers investments to build, protect and empower Canada. When I was at home in the Yukon last week, I heard from many people what this budget means for them. We see the north reflected in it, from investments in housing, infrastructure and health care to defending and securing the Arctic and to the critical minerals that will power Canada's clean economy. When we invest in the north, we strengthen all of Canada.
Budget 2025 delivers a bold plan to tackle Canada's housing challenges and strengthen Canada's communities across the country. At the heart of this plan is Build Canada Homes to build affordable housing at scale and to catalyze a new housing industry. We will leverage public lands, offer flexible financial incentives, attract private capital and support manufacturers to deliver.
Included in the budget, importantly, is $2.8 billion for urban, rural and northern indigenous housing. Here we will work with first nations, Inuit and Métis partners to ensure rapid and effective delivery and to coordinate a cross-government indigenous housing strategy.
We will also launch the build community strong fund, with $51 billion to support housing-enabled infrastructure, health facilities and community projects. This fund will include a community stream, a direct delivery stream to address climate adaptation, and a provincial and territorial stream for housing, health and education infrastructure.
The budget details the critical minerals sovereign fund, which will make strategic investments in critical minerals projects and companies, including equity investments, loan guarantees and offtake agreements. The budget also allows for additional critical minerals to be eligible for the critical mineral exploration tax credit through an expansion of the program.
Budget 2025 also introduces the first and last mile fund to support critical minerals projects and supply chains. This fund will incorporate the critical minerals infrastructure fund with the goal of getting near-term critical mineral projects into production and supporting the necessary clean energy and transportation infrastructure.
I was at the Geoscience forum in the Yukon last week. The buzz at the conference was palpable, with positive news both from these budget features and from confidence in the Yukon's energy future expressed by referring the Yukon grid intertie project to the Major Projects Office. I believe at this time, as the mining industry continues to mature and grow, and as an unstable world demands ethical and responsible sources of minerals, that we will have a story to tell in the Yukon, and a rich, productive and sustainable future in this sector.
Many people across the country know too well that our health care challenges are especially acute in the north, and I was proud to see a comprehensive assessment of health care and health care infrastructure needs in northern and Arctic communities. The goal is clear: Identify innovative ways to increase access to care and reduce costly medical travel, working in partnership with the north.
This is in addition to the $5 billion dedicated to the new health infrastructure fund. This will help provinces and territories modernize hospitals and health facilities, a need we know is deeply felt across the country, especially in our communities in the north. Health agreements with provinces and territories will remain strong, with a focus on home and community care, as well as on mental health and addiction services.
To strengthen our health workforce, budget 2025 introduces a foreign credential recognition action fund, with $97 million in new support. This will help internationally trained professionals put their skills to work faster, especially in health care, where every qualified worker makes a difference. To support people already working on the front lines, we are proposing a temporary personal support workers tax credit, providing up to $1,100 per year for eligible workers.
Health care also depends on innovation, and we are setting new targets at 2% growth for Canada's research councils: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. These investments safeguard the councils' vital role in driving discovery, improving competitiveness and building the economy of the future. We are also launching the international talent attraction strategy to bring top-tier researchers to Canadian universities.
Build Canada strong is the right theme for our times. I say this because our new government is focused on exactly that: building Canada, community by community and family by family. This means investments we can feel in our daily lives: affordable housing, skilled trades training, and programs like the Canada strong pass. These measures are not abstract; they are about giving Canadians confidence in their future and pride in their country.
Budget 2025 invests $1.5 billion to help young Canadians find and keep jobs, including expanding Canada summer jobs and strengthening the youth employment and skills strategy, as well as launching a new youth climate corps to train young people for paid roles in climate resilience and emergency response.
Budget 2025 lowers barriers for Canadians through a supplemental Canada disability benefit, and we are providing $660.5 million over five years in ongoing funding for the Department for Women and Gender Equality, ensuring sustained progress toward equality and safety for women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
Budget 2025 also protects consumers. We will publish draft regulations by spring 2026 to prohibit investment and registered account transfer fees currently costing Canadians about $150 per account. We will require timely transfers and clear information for consumers, explore improving transparency on cross-border transfer fees and foreign exchange costs, and work with banks to simplify switching primary chequing accounts. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada has been asked to report on the structure and transparency of bank fees.
We are also strengthening Canadian culture and connectivity. Budget 2025 provides $150 million to CBC/Radio-Canada to reinforce its mandate to serve Canadians and reflect their needs. We will explore modernizing its mandate to strengthen independence, and we are working with CBC/Radio-Canada on new opportunities.
In addition, to make life more affordable and connected, budget 2025 renews the Canada strong pass with $116.3 million over two years, covering reduced-cost travel for the holiday season and summer 2026 through partners like Via Rail.
Finally, we are investing in communities and equality. Budget 2025 launches the build communities strong fund, with $51 billion over 10 years plus $3 billion per year ongoing to support local infrastructure projects that help communities grow and thrive. We are also providing $660 million in ongoing funding for the Department of Women and Gender Equality, as I mentioned.
Canada's security begins in the north. Budget 2025 makes the largest defence investment in a generation, because sovereignty is not optional. We are strengthening our Arctic capabilities and making sure our armed forces have the right tools, training and support they need. Defence spending is not just about protection; it is all about partnership, jobs and innovation that benefit the north as well as all of Canada.
Budget 2025 commits $81.8 billion over five years to give the Canadian Armed Forces the tools and support it needs to meet today's threats. This includes $20.4 billion to recruit and retain a strong fighting force with generational pay raises and improved health care, $19 billion to repair and sustain capabilities and invest in defence infrastructure, and $17.9 billion to expand Canada's military capabilities.
However, these investments are not just about defence; they are also about building infrastructure that serves Canadians. Ports, airstrips and all-season roads in the north will have dual-use benefits, strengthening sovereignty while connecting communities and supporting economic growth. We are also investing $6.6 billion to strengthen Canada's defence industry through a new defence industrial strategy.
Budget 2025 protects our fiscal strength while investing in housing, health care and infrastructure that Yukoners need. It builds opportunity by supporting indigenous housing, expanding Arctic transportation and strengthening the foundation of northern communities. It also empowers the Yukon to lead, recognizing that the north is not on the margins of Canada's story but at the heart of it.
