Politicians, unions and business leaders responded to the Liberal government’s Budget 2026, tabled Thursday in the House of Commons and featuring $142.1 billion in new spending or tax-break measures.
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The Liberal government tabled Budget 2026 in the House of Commons on Thursday, with the government describing the plan as focused on affordability, growth and sovereignty. The budget includes $142.1 billion in new spending or tax-break measures, offset in large part by stronger-than-expected federal revenues.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said the budget reflects Canadians’ priorities and pointed to what he described as care and partnership in the plan. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the budget aims to support Canadians by giving the government the “fiscal capacity to grow.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the budget as increasing debt, saying it adds $765 billion in new debt and arguing that this would mean higher inflation and interest now and higher taxes later.
NDP Leader Avi Lewis said the budget’s message about “Masters of our Destiny” benefits a billionaire class, and Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner argued the government’s immigration intake numbers would continue to benefit wealthy corporate interests rather than workers.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said the budget does not meet the moment for struggling young people, Indigenous peoples, small businesses and preparations for future climate disasters, while also moving past previously announced fiscal anchors and guardrails.
The United Steelworkers welcomed federal investments in Canada’s forestry and wood products sector and in the critical minerals industry, while warning that future industrial investment would be insufficient without protecting existing jobs. The union cited “the Stelco layoffs” as a reminder that industrial capacity could disappear if current jobs are not protected.
Business Council of Canada President and CEO Goldy Hyder said Canada’s business leaders welcome the budget as an investment-first plan to transform the economy for the long term. PwC Canada’s Michelle McQuade said the budget positions government spending as a vehicle shaping capital formation and industrial policy, while adding that macroeconomic headwinds and uncertainty could affect how effectively initiatives deliver.
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