Summary#

This bill is a mid-year funding law for the Government of Canada. It authorizes CAD $8,795,403,218 (one-time) for programs and services in fiscal year 2022-23 that were not already funded in the Main Estimates. The amounts match Supplementary Estimates (A), and are effective retroactively to April 1, 2022 (Schedule; Effective date (2)).

• Funds large top-ups for Indigenous Services ($2.219 billion) and Crown‑Indigenous Relations ($1.398 billion) (Schedule).
• Supports public health operations and grants at the Public Health Agency of Canada ($1.524 billion) (Schedule).
• Adds funding for airport screening via CATSA ($329.735 million) and transport programs ($364.561 million) (Schedule).
• Provides contributions for National Defence ($500 million) and Public Safety ($823.638 million) (Schedule).
• Finances immigration operations and newcomer supports ($443.892 million) (Schedule).

What it means for you#

• Households
  • Public health: Continued funding for disease surveillance, labs, and related grants through the Public Health Agency of Canada, effective April 1, 2022 (Schedule, PHAC Votes 1a, 5a, 10a; Effective date (2)).
  • Culture and media: Telefilm Canada receives $150,000,000 to support Canadian film and screen projects (Schedule, Telefilm Vote 1a).
  • Housing: $45,899,167 reimburses CMHC for forgiven loans, grants, and related costs under federal housing laws. This maintains existing housing programs; it does not create new ones (Schedule, CMHC Vote 1a).
• Travelers
  • Airports: $329,734,920 to CATSA for screening operations and capital needs. This supports staffing and equipment at security checkpoints (Schedule, CATSA Vote 1a).
  • Ferries: $113,074,941 to Marine Atlantic for operating and capital costs, including the Nova Scotia–Newfoundland and Labrador route (Schedule, Marine Atlantic Vote 1a).
• Indigenous peoples and northern communities
  • Services and infrastructure: $2,218,525,823 to Indigenous Services Canada for operating costs and contributions, including goods and services in kind (Schedule, ISC Votes 1a, 10a).
  • Agreements and community support: $1,398,098,639 to Crown‑Indigenous Relations for operating costs and contributions related to programs and settlements (Schedule, CIRNAC Votes 1a, 10a).
  • Northern economy: $7,378,225 in grants and contributions via the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (Schedule, CanNor Vote 5a).
• Newcomers, students, and workers
  • Immigration: $443,891,556 for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada operations and contributions, including International Experience Canada services (Schedule, IRCC Votes 1a, 10a).
• Local governments and service users
  • Transport programs: $334,439,600 in Transport Canada contributions and $29,796,369 for operations. Some funds may support projects on non-federal property, as permitted in the vote (Schedule, Transport Votes 1a, 5a, 10a).
  • Public safety: $823,638,161 in contributions that can fund emergency management and community safety initiatives (Schedule, Public Safety Vote 5a).
  • Parks and heritage: $26,809,638 for Parks Canada operations and capital, including contributions to provinces and municipalities (Schedule, Parks Canada Votes 1a, 5a).

Notes on timing and administration:

• All items take effect as of April 1, 2022. Transfers listed in the Estimates are deemed authorized from that date (Effective date (2); Transfers of appropriations).
• Departments may finalize accounting adjustments after year-end until the Public Accounts are tabled in Parliament; this does not permit extra cash payments beyond the appropriation (Adjustments in accounts of Canada).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: CAD $8,795,403,218 (one-time, FY2022-23).

• Source of authority: Supplementary Estimates (A), 2022–23, as set out in the Schedule to the Act (Schedule).
• Effective date: Items are deemed in force as of April 1, 2022 (Effective date (2)).
• Accounting: Charges may be adjusted after March 31, 2023 until the Public Accounts are tabled; no extra payments from the CRF are allowed for these adjustments (Adjustments in accounts of Canada).

Proponents' View#

• Maintains essential services without interruption by aligning legal authority with mid-year needs identified in Supplementary Estimates (A) (Schedule).
• Targets major pressures: Indigenous services and settlements ($3.62 billion combined across two departments) and public health capacity ($1.52 billion) (Schedule).
• Supports travel system recovery and safety through CATSA ($329.7 million), Transport Canada ($364.6 million), and Marine Atlantic ($113.1 million) (Schedule).
• Allows departments to re-spend certain revenues within the year (e.g., IT services, screening services), which can improve efficiency without new taxes (e.g., Shared Services, IRCC, CATSA) (Schedule; references to Financial Administration Act s.29.1).
• Provides flexibility where needed. For PHAC, grant amounts may be increased or decreased with Treasury Board approval, enabling faster response to public health needs (Schedule, PHAC Vote 10a).
• Authorizes in‑kind contributions for defence (goods, services, or facility use), which can be faster and mission‑focused (Schedule, National Defence Vote 10a).

Opponents' View#

• Oversight concerns: Spending is deemed effective retroactively to April 1, 2022, and transfers are deemed authorized from that date, which can limit Parliament’s ability to scrutinize before funds flow (Effective date (2); Transfers of appropriations).
• Limited detail: Many votes fund “the grants listed in any of the Estimates,” which provides less program-level transparency in the statute itself (Schedule).
• Flexibility risk: PHAC’s authority to increase or decrease listed grant amounts with Treasury Board approval may weaken direct parliamentary control over specific grant totals (Schedule, PHAC Vote 10a).
• Post‑year adjustments: Charging appropriations after year‑end until the Public Accounts are tabled can blur when costs are finally recognized, reducing clarity for the public (Adjustments in accounts of Canada).
• Scale and timing: $8.8 billion mid‑year is material; if departments cannot deploy funds quickly, lapses or rushed spending could occur, reducing value for money (Schedule; general timing risk).
• Re‑spending authorities: Letting departments spend revenues they collect in‑year (e.g., service fees or internal services) can reduce visibility of gross expenditures and outcomes (Schedule; references to Financial Administration Act s.29.1).