UPDATE: Federal Budget Adds Veterans’ Education Program, Axes Savings Bonds

Latest Budget Welcome News For Barrie Mayor

The Federal Budget was handed down today, after a bit of a delay. Opposition parties began to filibuster before the budget was presented, with some saying the Prime Minister’s motorcade prevented opposition MPs from getting into the Parliament Building, others saying an advance look at the budget was given to a select few. As for the budget itself, it contains $487 million in spending on Skills and Innovation, $396m for Youth Employment programs, along with a new program for veteran education and training. The 2017 Federal Budget also takes away the public transit tax credit and discontinues the Canadian Savings Bond program. The Opposition accuses the Liberal Government of wildly raising taxes to pay for promises that can’t be kept. The budget calls for a $28.5 billion deficit for 2017, bringing the national debt up to $665.5mil. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman sure likes the focus on housing in this year’s budget.

He adds while Barrie isn’t hurting for jobs, this year’s budget will certainly help.

And while the mayor was overall pleased with the federal budget, he did express surprise over Ottawa’s move to axe the public transit tax credit.