Budget 2024: Key Highlights for the Equal Futures Network 

This summary includes immediate highlights of Federal Budget 2024 tabled by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in the House of Commons on April 16, 2024. Further analysis and implications of budget measures will be shared on our social media channels in the coming days.

Enhancing the Affordable Housing Fund (77-78)

• To build and maintain more affordable housing, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $976 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, and $24 million in future years, to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to launch a new Rapid Housing stream under the Affordable Housing Fund to build deeply affordable housing, supportive housing, and shelters for our most vulnerable.

Addressing Homelessness and Encampments (80-81)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide an additional $1.3 billion over four years, starting in 2024-25, to Infrastructure Canada for Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
  • $1.0 billion over four years, starting in 2024-25, to stabilize funding under the program. Recognizing the enduring nature of this challenge, this investment reflects the government’s commitment to support organizations that do vitally important work across the country to prevent and reduce homelessness. Of this investment, $50 million will focus on accelerating community-level reductions in homelessness.
  • $250 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness. This funding will require provinces and territories to cost-match federal investments, leveraging a total of $500 million.

Building Homes in Indigenous Communities (82)

Access to safe and affordable housing is critical to improving socio-economic outcomes and ensuring a better future for Indigenous communities. Since 2015 the federal government has committed more than $6.7 billion to support housing in Indigenous communities and a further $4.3 billion to advance an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing strategy set to launch in 2024-25.

Taking Care of Every Generation (88)

Budget 2024 highlights new measures that will strengthen Canada’s social safety net to lift up every generation. 

• Providing nearly $200 billion over ten years to strengthen universal public health care for Canadians.

Canada’s Support for Persons with Disabilities (105)

• Budget 2024 proposes funding of $6.1 billion over six years, beginning in 2024-25, and $1.4 billion per year ongoing, for a new Canada Disability Benefit, including costs to deliver the benefit.

Supporting the Care Economy (108)

• Budget 2024 proposes a Sectoral Table on the Care Economy that will consult and provide recommendations to the federal government on concrete actions to better support the care economy, including with regard to early learning and child care. 
• Budget 2024 announces the government’s intention to launch consultations on the development of a National Caregiving Strategy.

The Best Start for Every Child (109)

• Building a Canada-wide system of early learning and child care, which is delivering $10-a-day child care in eight provinces and territories, with all other provinces already cutting fees by 50 per cent and remaining on track to deliver $10-a-day child care by March 2026, significantly ahead of schedule.

More Affordable Child Care (112)

• To launch a $1 billion Child Care Expansion Loan Program, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $179.4 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $5.7 million in future years, to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.  
• The Child Care Expansion Loan Program will offer $1 billion in low-cost loans and $60 million in non-repayable contributions to public and not for-profit child care providers to build more child care spaces and renovate their existing child care centres. 
• Budget 2024 also proposes to reallocate up to $41.5 million over four years, starting in 2025-26, and up to $15 million ongoing from within Employment and Social Development Canada to establish a new capacity building program to help providers apply for funding through the Child Care Expansion Loan Program, and to support Early Learning and Child Care research initiatives.

Launching a New Youth Mental Health Fund  (126)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $500 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, for the creation of a new Youth Mental Health Fund which will help younger Canadians access the mental health care they need.  

The new Youth Mental Health Fund will help community health organizations provide more care for younger Canadians, and better equip these organizations to refer youth to other mental health services within their networks and partnerships. 

Strengthening Local Food Security (140)

• As part of the government’s work to end food insecurity, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $62.9 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to renew and expand the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to support community organizations across Canada to invest in local food infrastructure, with priority to be given to Indigenous and Black communities, along with other equity-deserving groups.

Safer, Healthier Communities (215)

Building safer, healthier communities means being good stewards of the environment, and fighting climate change. From expanding parks to keeping the air, water, and soil clean, the government knows that investing in the environment today allows us to pass on the Canada we know and love, one of beautiful landscapes, clean air, and healthy ecosystems.  

Budget 2024 takes action to protect our environment and strengthen our communities, making them safer and healthier places to live, work, and raise a family.  

Key On-Going Actions (218)

• Keeping people and communities safe from the impacts of climate change, with more than $1.6 billion to support Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy. 
• Committing $800 million to support Indigenous-led conservation within Canada.
• Developing and releasing an implementation plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including by federal Crown corporations, by fall 2024.
• Putting a price on carbon pollution, to make big polluters pay.

Vibrant and Inclusive Communities (227)

Diversity is Canada’s strength. One in three people in Canada is a member of a racialized or religious minority community, making our country a vibrant home of cultures and traditions for everyone to enjoy. Every Canadian deserves to feel safe and respected in their community, no matter their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or where they are from. 

Budget 2024 will empower community organizations to create strong, vibrant, and inclusive communities across the country.

Key On-Going Actions: 

• Supporting gender equality in sport and addressing barriers to participation, including for racialized people and other equity-deserving groups, with over $190 million to enhance accountability and combat abuse, harassment, and maltreatment in sport. 
• Supporting the charitable, non-profit, and other social purpose organizations, through Budget 2021’s investment of $755 million for the Social Finance Fund. This long-term program will run until March 31, 2039, and increase access to flexible financing opportunities for projects that create positive social and environmental impacts. 
• Building a better, more inclusive future for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse people (2SLGBTQI+), by investing nearly $150 million over 10 years, to support Canada’s first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, a whole of-government approach to prioritize and sustain 2SLGBTQI+ community action, to advance and strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ rights at home and abroad, and to embed 2SLGBTQI+ issues in the work of the Government of Canada.
• Producing detailed statistics to highlight the diverse lived-experiences of different groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized groups, and persons with disabilities, with $172 million over five years, and $36.3 million ongoing, for Statistics Canada’s Disaggregated Data Action Plan, starting in 2021. 

Combatting Hate (229)

• To confront hate in all its forms, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024-25, with $29.3 million ongoing, for Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate to support community outreach and law enforcement reform, tackle the rise in hate crimes, enhance community security, counter radicalization, and increase support for victims. These investments include
  • $25 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support Anti-Hate programming and promoting intercultural ties and community-based activities.
  • $19.5 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to Public Safety Canada for the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence.
  • $12 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to Women and Gender Equality Canada to fund projects aimed at combatting hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community.
  •  $3 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Women and Gender Equality Canada to support security needs for Pride festivals.
  • $45 million over five years, starting in 2025-26, and $9 million ongoing, to support the capacity of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

Supporting the Mental Health of Black Canadians (234)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $4 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, for the Public Health Agency of Canada to continue supporting initiatives through the Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund that aim to increase health equity and address mental health and its determinants for Black Canadians. 

Addressing the Overdose Crisis in Municipalities and Indigenous Communities (250)

• Building on historic health care investments, including in mental health and substance use, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $150 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to Health Canada for an Emergency Treatment Fund, open to municipalities and Indigenous communities to help provide rapid responses to emergent, critical needs related to the opioid crisis. 

Combatting Workplace Sexual Harassment (251)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $30.6 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to Justice Canada to continue funding legal advisory and education services for victims of workplace sexual harassment. 

A Fair Future for Indigenous Peoples (266)

Budget 2024 continues this work by proposing investments that will advance the health and well-being of Indigenous children, youth, families, and communities. This budget also proposes investments in Indigenous self determination and economic reconciliation.  

To improve health outcomes and ensure the most vulnerable Indigenous people have the support they need, the government is strengthening on-reserve income assistance and disability income support programs, and investing in primary health care, mental health, and food security. 

To make progress towards safe, secure communities, the government is addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the justice system and enhancing funding for community policing, and emergency management and preparedness. 

Empowering Indigenous Youth (277)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide an additional $12.5 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to support the Indigenous Youth Roots organization to identify and partner with Indigenous-led organizations. 

Supporting Indigenous Cultures (280)

• $225 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $45 million per year ongoing to Canadian Heritage for Indigenous languages and cultures programs, in support of Indigenous Languages Act, which is set for its first five-year review in October 2025; and, 
• $65 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $13 million per year ongoing to Canadian Heritage to permanently support the Indigenous Screen Office and ensure Indigenous Peoples can tell their own stories and see themselves reflected on screen.

Addressing the Legacy of Residential Schools (284)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $91 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to increase the support provided to communities to document, locate, and memorialize burial sites at former residential schools. 
• Budget 2024 also proposes to provide $5 million over three years, starting in 2025-26, to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to establish a program to combat Residential School denialism.  

Boosting Indigenous Economic Opportunity (287)

• $350 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to renew Canada’s commitment to Indigenous Financial Institutions, including $30 million over five years for the Métis Capital Corporations which have, for decades, provided critical support to Métis entrepreneurs and businesses;
• $2.5 million in 2024-25, to continue supporting the Indigenous tourism industry through the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada; and 
• $36 million, over three years, starting in 2024-25, to renew support for the Strategic Partnerships Initiatives’ Clean Energy program to promote Indigenous participation in clean growth opportunities. 

Healthy Indigenous Communities (288)

• $4 billion over seven years, starting in 2024-25, to implement an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, currently under codevelopment with Indigenous partners.
• $2 billion over ten years, starting in 2024-25, for a distinctions-based Indigenous Health Equity Fund. 
• $1.6 billion over two years, starting in 2024-25, to ensure access to safe drinking water and treated wastewater in First Nations communities.
• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $630.2 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to support Indigenous people’s access to mental health services, including through distinctions-based mental wellness strategies. 
• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $167.6 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to combat anti-Indigenous racism in health care to help ensure Indigenous Peoples are treated with the respect and safety they deserve.

Northern Food Security (292)

• $23.2 million in 2024-25, to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for Nutrition North Canada’s subsidy program to lower the cost of nutritious food and other essential household items; and
• $101.1 million over three years starting in 2024-25, to support the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Program Fund and promote Indigenous communities in implementing culturally appropriate, local solutions to address food insecurity.

Safe Indigenous Communities (293)

• $145.2 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, for Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to work with First Nations to develop greater climate resiliency and deploy structural mitigation strategies that protect communities, homes, and essential infrastructure from climate disasters, including $10.4 million for Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations.
• To help keep Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people safe, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $1.3 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to co-develop with Indigenous partners, on a priority first phase, a regional Red Dress Alert system.

Asylum System Stability and Integrity (352)

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, and the Immigration and Refugee Board with $743.5 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $0.9 million in remaining amortization, and $159.5 million ongoing, to support the stability and integrity of Canada’s asylum system.
• Budget 2024 also proposes to introduce changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to simplify and streamline the claims process in support of faster decisions and quicker removals.