Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley.
Our objective with budget 2025 is clear: We want to make Canada's economy stronger and more resilient. The first step is to work on our own economy, here in Canada. After taking office, we started by removing interprovincial trade barriers at the federal level. We introduced a buy Canadian policy in our budget because we know that we have to be our own best customer. The Government of Canada has tremendous purchasing power, and we have to use it to stimulate our economy and support Canadian companies.
In budget 2025, we are also introducing a set of tax incentives to boost productivity. We want to encourage Canadian businesses to invest in new equipment right away. The message we are sending is that now is the time to invest in Canada. We have also enhanced certain incentives, such as the business research and development program. I have visited a number of businesses in my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche that are benefiting from this program. It is amazing to see the opportunities, especially when it comes to developing new products and penetrating new markets. Businesses might have a product that meets 90% of a potential customer's needs. Work-integrated research opens up new possibilities.
However, we have heard that the program can be problematic in terms of red tape. In budget 2025, we are addressing these issues. We will improve the program to make it easier for businesses to use, because we want to see businesses spending more time innovating and less time dealing with red tape.
Also, in the budget, we see consistency across the various investments that we are making to meet our priorities, because we are working to link this to our mandate of strengthening the Canadian economy. I will give a few examples.
We are launching Build Canada Homes, an investment of more than $13 billion for the construction of housing here at home. With Build Canada Homes, we will promote the use of Canadian materials, such as softwood lumber. This will help us meet the need for housing while boosting our economy and supporting businesses here at home. It is somewhat the same with the defence industrial strategy. We have committed to significantly increasing defence spending, given the current context. We will do so in a way that supports businesses.
Internationally, strengthening the Canadian economy also involves diversifying our markets. The budget contains various incentives and measures to support Canadian companies looking to break into new markets around the world. The government is working hard to attract foreign investment and sign new trade agreements with countries around the world. In fact, Canada is the only G7 country to have a free trade agreement with every other G7 country. This is just the beginning.
When we talk about supporting innovation to increase productivity, that translates into investments in our regions, including the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche. Last week, I had the immense pleasure of announcing up to $1 million in federal government support for three maple syrup producers in my riding through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The funding announced last week will primarily go toward modernizing these maple syrup producers' infrastructure to make it more productive, notably through the purchase of new reverse osmosis systems and automated systems to help detect leaks in the forest. This announcement was particularly important to me because the maple syrup industry is integral to my riding's economy. New Brunswick is the world's second-largest producer of maple syrup, and 80% of the syrup produced in my province comes from Madawaska—Restigouche. This is a direct investment in a key sector of the economy of the rural communities that I represent here in Ottawa.
In addition to the economic benefits, maple syrup is culturally important in my region, as we are very proud of the syrup produced in the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche. Maple syrup production is also a skill that is passed down from generation to generation. In fact, of the three sugar bushes I visited last week, one was recently handed down to the next generation, and another is run by a father and son. This is a sector that is well established, both economically and culturally, and that is part of the history of the Madawaska—Restigouche riding.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all producers and workers in the industry a successful maple syrup season. We know that preparations are coming to an end. The tapping is almost done, and sugaring season is just around the corner.
I am the member for Madawaska—Restigouche, a riding that is more than 80% francophone. In fact, my riding has the second-highest percentage of francophones outside Quebec.
As the member for Madawaska—Restigouche and an Acadian MP, I consider official languages to be a very important issue. In budget 2025, we are doubling funding for National Acadian Day and making that funding permanent. In addition, we are continuing to implement the action plan for official languages 2023-2028. I would like to remind the House that this plan provides $4.1 billion over five years, which is the largest investment in official languages in Canada's history, even taking inflation into account. No other government has invested as much in supporting official languages in this country. It is a big deal.
This historic investment is having a real impact in my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche. For example, last year, Canada and New Brunswick signed an agreement for French language instruction that includes $133 million for instruction in both our French-language schools and our immersion schools. In other words, that money is going to schools in my region so that our children in New Brunswick can learn French.
I am also thinking of the $78-million investment announced last summer by the Minister of Health to improve access to French-language health services for francophone communities. Of this $78 million, $14 million is earmarked for the Université de Moncton for training more health professionals in medicine and nursing. In my riding, the Edmundston campus of the Université de Moncton offers a bachelor's degree in nursing. So, the investments we are making here in Ottawa in official languages are helping to train people in the health sector back home in Edmundston.
I am also thinking of the welcoming francophone communities initiative, which aims to help our francophone communities settle newcomers. There are 24 projects across the country, and I am very pleased that two of them are in my riding: the welcoming francophone community of Haut-Saint-Jean and the welcoming francophone community of Kedgwick and Saint-Quentin.
The action plan also includes the community spaces fund, because vibrant and dynamic francophone communities need places to gather. I would like to talk about a project that was funded in my constituency last year through this fund. The Centre Maillet in the Saint-Basile area of Edmundston received $2 million. Work is progressing well, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the Centre Maillet's facelift.
Through the action plan for official languages 2023-2028, we are also investing in a wide range of other areas, such as early childhood education, justice, arts and culture as well as research, to name a few. These are investments we are making here that have a real impact on the vitality of francophone communities across the country, including in Madawaska—Restigouche. I am very proud to be part of a government that is making the largest investment in official languages in Canadian history.
Budget 2025 also includes funding to support arts and culture. Money is earmarked to develop Canada's creative industries and help Canadian talent succeed in an increasingly digital and global marketplace. I will list some of the measures. The building communities through arts and heritage program will receive $21 million. This program supports local festivals, community anniversaries and capital projects initiated by communities.
My riding actually hosts many, many festivals, and dedicated volunteers contribute to the community by organizing all kinds of activities. Just two weeks ago, I announced federal funding through the program I just mentioned for the Campbellton Sno-Fest. I know that a number of similar announcements will be made in the coming year for various festivals in the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche and across the country.
We have also earmarked $46.5 million for the Canada arts presentation fund to support professional arts festivals and performance series. Once again, I know that several cultural societies in my riding benefit from this fund, which gives people in my riding opportunities to experience high-quality performances and make arts and culture part of their lives.
I am also thinking of the many investments that we are making in the Canada Music Fund, Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund to support audiovisual content creators, and the list goes on.
I am very proud that our government is supporting the arts and culture sector because of its importance to Canada's economy. Artists not only make a significant contribution to our economy, they also help strengthen our Canadian identity. Their socio-economic contribution is vital.
I am proud that my government is supporting this sector. I still have a lot more to say about the budget, but I think my speaking time has come to an end, so I eagerly look forward to my colleagues' questions.