Mr. Speaker, the Department of Finance Canada has a broad mandate helping the Government of Canada develop and implement strong and sustainable economic, fiscal, tax, social, security, international and financial sector policies and programs.
Over the time period in question, from January 1, 2025, to June 18, 2025, the government, supported by the public service, was focused on responding to fast-changing and unjustified trade actions by the United States. The Department of Finance supported the government in the development of its tariff response plan and discussions with provinces and territories, U.S. counterparts, international partners, and industry stakeholders. The Department of Finance also played an important role in the planning and execution of the G7 leaders and finance ministers’ meetings and the finance minister’s participation in the G20 finance track process. This time period also saw the government deliver on major policy actions, including ceasing the application of the consumer carbon price; delivery of a middle-class tax cut; and GST relief for first-time homebuyers on new homes up to $1.5 million.
The number of employee hours used in preparation of budget 2025 and the number of full-time equivalent employees who spent more than 75% of their time preparing the budget are not tracked separately from these other activities. Given the department’s broad mandate and ongoing work in the areas mentioned above, this information is impossible to isolate. Although governments often face economic uncertainty, the current situation differs when it comes to scale, complexity, and immediacy of the risks, and the way they interact. Given the significance of these developments, the government committed to tabling a budget this fall that reflects the full economic and fiscal context and provides a stable, forward-looking economic plan.