Highlights from Budget 2022

April 7, 2022

On April 7, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the 2022 federal budget.

Below are some highlights of interest to the Canadian library and information management community:

Archives

Supporting the Muslims in Canada Archive

For too long, Muslim communities in Canada have had their representations, stories, and identities publicly shaped by predominantly non-Muslim media sources. These depictions are often burdened by narratives of terrorism, war, violence, Islamophobia, and extremism.

The Muslims in Canada Archive, a collaborative initiative of the Institute of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto, provides an opportunity to reshape these narratives and provide Canada’s robust and diverse Muslim community a chance to tell their own stories in their own words.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $4 million in 2022-23 to the Department of Canadian Heritage to help support the Muslims in Canada Archive. This funding will allow the Archive to continue its work with national archival and Muslim community organizations to acquire, organize, preserve, and make accessible records of and about Muslim people and organizations in Canada.

Arts, Culture, and Heritage

Funding for Access to Reading and Published Works for Canadians with Print Disabilities

Funding proposed for Employment and Social Development Canada to support the production and distribution of alternative format materials by the Centre for Equitable Library Access and the National Network for Equitable Library Service; conduct research to better understand gaps in availability of accessible reading materials; and launch a new Equitable Access to Reading Program to boost the production of accessible format reading materials through innovative part- nerships. This will promote the economic and social inclusion of persons with print disabilities and help to create a barrier-free Canada.

2022-2023: $2 million
2023-2024: $3 million
2024-2025: $7 million
2025-2026: $7 million
2026-2027: $7 million
Total: $25 million

Supporting Canada’s Performing Arts and Heritage Sectors

Canada’s performing arts, including our world-class theatre sector, have been devastated by closures and capacity restrictions during the pandemic. Today, both the number of productions and the employment levels in the performing arts sector remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

Budget 2021 provided $500 million over two years to support the reopening and recovery of Canada’s arts, culture, heritage, and sports sectors. This includes funding to support Canadian festivals, outdoor theatres, and local museums in delivering in-person experiences and events to draw visitors to our communities and encourage the safe return of in-person audiences.

The federal government has been there to support artists and performing arts organizations and workers throughout the pandemic. Critical investments in Budget 2021, including $250 million to be delivered in 2022-23, will continue to support Canada’s performing arts, and the talented Canadians who make up our arts, culture, and heritage sectors.

In addition, the 2021 Economic and Fiscal Update provided $62.3 million in 2022-23 to create a temporary program aimed at directly supporting performing artists and behind-the-scenes workers who were financially impacted by public health restrictions and closures. Funding is expected to be disbursed to these workers by summer 2022.

• To complement previous initiatives, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $12.1 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to the National Arts Centre to support the creation, co-production, promotion, and touring of productions with Canadian commercial and not-for-profit performing arts companies.
• To compensate Canadian arts, culture, and heritage organizations for revenue losses due to public health restrictions and capacity limits, Budget 2022 proposes to provide an additional $50 million in 2022-23 to the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, and Telefilm Canada.

Charities, Non-Profits, and Community Organizations

Stronger Partnerships in the Charitable Sector

Canadian charities carry out a wide range of important work, including vital international development and relief activities around the world and providing direct support to Canadians here at home. Canada’s tax rules should support their work and minimize their administrative burdens, while still ensuring accountability for how charitable resources are used.

Both the charitable sector and parliamentarians have put forward a number of proposals to achieve these goals, while allowing greater flexibility for charities to support non-profit groups that may not have the ability to pursue charitable status of their own. The government supports these efforts.

• To ensure sufficient flexibility for charities to carry out their work, Budget 2022 proposes to amend the Income Tax Act to allow a charity to provide its resources to organizations that are not qualified donees, provided that the charity meets certain requirements designed to ensure accountability. This is intended to implement the spirit of Bill S-216, the Effective and Accountable Charities Act, which is currently being considered by Parliament.

Boosting Charitable Spending in Our Communities

Every year, charities are required to spend a minimum amount based on the value of their investment assets. This is known as the “disbursement quota” and it ensures that charitable donations are being invested into our communities.

• Following consultations with the charitable sector in 2021, Budget 2022 proposes to introduce a new graduated disbursement quota rate for charities. For investment assets exceeding $1 million, the rate of the disbursement quota will be increased from 3.5 per cent to 5 per cent.

This new, higher rate will boost support for the charitable sector while being set at a level that is sustainable, ensuring the continued availability of funding over the longer term.

These changes will be effective in respect of a charity’s fiscal period beginning on or after January 1, 2023, and will be reviewed after five years.

The Canada Revenue Agency will also improve the collection of information from charities, including whether charities are meeting their disbursement quota, and on information related to investments and donor-advised funds held by charities.

Cybersecurity

Enhancing Canada’s Cyber Security

Budget 2018 announced an action plan to implement Canada’s first comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. That strategy is now working to keep Canadians safe from evolving cyber security threats that target Canadians, Canadian businesses, and our critical infrastructure. The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) works to protect Canada from cyber threats, including those that come from foreign actors. But as Canadians grow more dependent on digital systems, the potential consequences of cyber incidents continue to increase, and Canada needs to be ready.

Budget 2022 proposes to provide $875.2 million over five years, beginning in 2022-23, and $238.2 million ongoing for additional measures to address the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape. These measure include:

• $263.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $96.5 million ongoing to enhance CSE’s abilities to launch cyber operations to prevent and defend against cyber attacks;
• $180.3 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $40.6 million ongoing to enhance CSE’s abilities to prevent and respond to cyber attacks on critical infrastructure;
• $178.7 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $39.5 million ongoing to expand cyber security protection for small departments, agencies, and Crown corporations; and,
• $252.3 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $61.7 million ongoing for CSE to make critical government systems more resilient to cyber incidents.

Canadian academics are some of the leading researchers in important emerging and disruptive technologies, including quantum computing and artificial intelligence. This expertise can be leveraged to ensure Canada’s security and intelligence community stay one step ahead of our adversaries.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $17.7 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $5.5 million thereafter until 2031-32 for CSE to establish a unique research chair program to fund academics to conduct research on cutting-edge technologies relevant to CSE’s activities. Researchers awarded the grants will split their time between peer-reviewed publishable research and classified research at CSE.

Digital Economy

Addressing the Digitalization of Money

A safe and secure financial system is a cornerstone of our economy. However, the digitalization of money, assets, and financial services—which is transforming financial systems and challenging democratic institutions around the world—creates a number of challenges that need to be addressed.

In the last several months, for example, there have been a number of high-profile examples—both around the world and here in Canada—where digital assets and cryptocurrencies have been used to avoid global sanctions and fund illegal activities.

• Budget 2022 includes measures that will help maintain the integrity of the financial system, promote fair competition, and protect both the finances of Canadians and our national security.
• Budget 2022 announces the government’s intention to launch a financial sector legislative review focused on the digitalization of money and maintaining financial sector stability and security. The first phase of the review will be directed at digital currencies, including cryptocurrencies and stablecoins.

Budget 2022 also proposes $17.7 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to the Department of Finance to lead the review.

The review will examine, among other factors: how to adapt the financial sector regulatory framework and toolbox to manage new digitalization risks; how to maintain the security and stability of the financial system in light of these evolving business models and technological capabilities; and the potential need for a central bank digital currency in Canada.

Separately, the government is investing in the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) and will develop legislative proposals to strengthen the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, the Criminal Code, and other legislation, to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, manage emerging threats, such as those posed by the digitalization of money, and ensure the government has the tools necessary to preserve financial integrity and economic security in Canada.

Digital Government

Embracing Digital Government

The federal government is committed to accelerating and expanding the offering of digital services to Canadians and to improving the ease-of-use, accessibility, security, consistency, and reliability of government services.

• Budget 2022 confirms the government’s intent to introduce legislative amendments to the Financial Administration Act to enable the Canadian Digital Service to provide its digital platform services more broadly, including to other jurisdictions in Canada, and to clarify its responsibilities under the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act with respect to the services it provides.

Diversity / Equity / Inclusion

Supporting a More Inclusive Arts Training Sector

As the arts sector recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, its continued vitality and success will depend, in large part, on the next generation of Canadian artists. The Canada Arts Training Fund helps build this next generation of Canadian creators and cultural leaders by supporting the training of artists with high potential.

While support for equity and inclusion is embedded in the delivery of the Fund, additional support for Indigenous and racialized arts training organizations will increase the participation, promotion, and representation of historically underserved communities.

• To continue to support the arts sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and to address historic inequities in funding levels for Indigenous and racialized arts training organizations, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $22.5 million over five years starting in 2022-23, and $5 million ongoing, to Canadian Heritage for the Canada Arts Training Fund.

Supporting Black Canadian Communities

Data continues to show that Black Canadians face more precarious employment, and an unjust prevalence of low-income households as a result of anti-Black racism that has a detrimental impact on the socio-economic well-being of many Black Canadians. The federal government is committed to continue closing the systemic inequities faced by Black Canadian communities.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $50 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to Employment and Social Development Canada for the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, to continue empowering Black-led and Black-serving community organizations and the work they do to promote inclusiveness.
• The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development will explore further options to continue supporting capacity building within Black-led and Black-serving community organizations in the long term.

Federal Funding for the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora

In 1993, the Honourable Jean Augustine made history as the first Black Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons and later became the first Black Canadian to be appointed to the Federal Cabinet. Ms. Augustine has also had a distinguished career as a social justice activist and educator. The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, housed at York University, is focused on addressing the systemic barriers and racial inequalities in the Canadian education system to improve educational outcomes for Black students.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $1.5 million in 2022-23 to the Department of Canadian Heritage for a federal contribution towards an endowment which would support the ongoing activities of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora.

A Federal LGBTQ2 Action Plan

While Canada has made significant progress since same-sex marriage was legalized in 2005, many LGBTQ2 Canadians still face discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, which continues to result in persistent health, social, and economic inequities.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $100 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to support the implementation of the forthcoming Federal LGBTQ2 Action Plan, which will support a fairer and more equal Canada for LGBTQ2 Canadians.

Fighting Systemic Racism, Discrimination, and Hate

Racism has no place in Canada. Our society and our economy are made stronger every day by Canada’s remarkable cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity. While as a country we have made real progress, racism continues to be an everyday experience for many Canadians, as evidenced by a sharp rise in anti-Asian racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Semitic hate, and a number of horrific Islamophobic attacks in recent years.

In 2019, the federal government launched an Anti-Racism Strategy to fund important community projects, to promote understanding across Canada, and to reduce the incidence of racism and discrimination.

• Recognizing that Canada’s fight against racism is far from over, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $85 million over four years, starting in 2022-23, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and National Action Plan on Combatting Hate. This funding will support community projects that ensure that Black and racialized Canadians, and religious minorities have access to resources that support their full participation in the Canadian economy, while also raising awareness of issues related to racism and hate in Canada.
• To push back against religious discrimination, hateful rhetoric and racism at home and abroad, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $11.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $2.4 million ongoing, to the Department of Canadian Heritage and Global Affairs Canada as follows:
  • $5.6 million over five years, with $1.2 million ongoing to support the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.
  • $5.6 million over five years, with $1.2 million ongoing to support the new Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.

To keep alive the memory of those murdered during the Holocaust and combat both historical distortions and Holocaust denial:

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $20 million in 2022-23 to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support the construction of the new Holocaust Museum in Montréal; and an investment of $2.5 million for the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre, as has been approved through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund and Museum Assistance Program.

This funding builds on important investments made since 2015 to fight racism in Canada. This includes initiatives supported as part of the Anti-Racism Strategy and investments announced in Budget 2021 to support the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes. Previous investments have also enhanced community support for Black Canadian youth and expanded research to develop more culturally focused mental health programs and care. The government remains committed to working with local faith based and cultural communities to advance important projects.

Early Childhood Education

Supporting Early Learning and Child Care

In Budget 2021, the federal government made an historic and transformative investment of $30 billion over five years. Combined with previous investments announced since 2015, $9.2 billion ongoing will be invested in child care, including Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, starting in 2025-26.

Child care is not just a social policy—it is an economic policy, too. Affordable, high-quality child care will grow our economy, allow more women to enter the workforce, and help give every Canadian child the best start in life.

In less than a year, the federal government reached agreements with all 13 provinces and territories. This means, by the end of 2022, that Canadian families will have seen their child care fees reduced by an average of 50 per cent. By 2025-26, it will mean an average child care fee of $10-a-day for all regulated child care spaces across Canada. Most provinces and territories are also moving ahead with faster than anticipated initiatives to support access to affordable high-quality child care spaces (Figure 4.1).

Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories have already cut child care fees in half. In Ontario, fees will be reduced by an initial 25 per cent retroactive to April 1, 2022. Yukon has already put in place a $10-a-day target for child care spaces as of April 1, 2021, five years ahead of schedule. Prince Edward Island is targeting $10-a-day spaces by the end of 2024.

As the federal government worked with provinces and territories on the completion and implementation of agreements, many raised that infrastructure funding was a challenge for non-profit and public providers where real estate costs were too high or building materials too expensive.

• In response to requests from provinces and territories, and to support the implementation of the Canada-wide early learning and child care system, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $625 million over four years, beginning in 2023-24, to Employment and Social Development Canada for an Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund.

This funding will enable provinces and territories to make additional child care investments, including the building of new facilities.

As noted in Budget 2021, Quebec has been a pioneer in early learning and child care in Canada, and this new funding will be part of an asymmetrical agreement with the province of Quebec that will allow for Quebec to further enhance its child care system.

Education

First Nations Elementary and Secondary Education

Education is key to a strong start in life. In 2019, the federal government implemented a new co-developed policy and funding approach to help ensure First Nations children living on reserve receive a high-quality education that meets their unique needs. Since then, First Nations education systems have benefited from more than $3.8 billion in investments.

• Budget 2022 proposes to invest an additional $310.6 million over 5 years to support better student outcomes through a Regional Education Agreement with the First Nations Education Council, which includes 22 member communities in Quebec.

Government

Strategic Policy Review

The government remains focused on managing public finances in a prudent and responsible manner. This requires ongoing review to ensure Canadians’ tax dollars are being used effectively and to ensure that government programs are delivering the intended results.

• To support these efforts, Budget 2022 announces the launch of a comprehensive Strategic Policy Review. Led by the President of the Treasury Board, the review will include two streams:
  • Stream 1 will assess program effectiveness in meeting the government’s key priorities of strengthening economic growth, inclusiveness, and fighting climate change.
  • Stream 2 will identify opportunities to save and reallocate resources to adapt government programs and operations to a new post-pandemic reality. Further areas of focus could include real property, travel, and increased digital service delivery, based in part on key lessons taken from how the government adapted during the pandemic, such as through increased virtual or remote work arrangements.

These efforts would target savings of $6 billion over five years, and $3 billion annually by 2026-27. Budget 2023 will provide an update on the review’s progress.

Information Literacy

Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation

In Canada and around the world, misinformation can quickly spread and erode the trust that people have in public institutions.

Foreign threats to democracy—including state-sponsored disinformation, which is misinformation that is deliberately targeted to deceive people—have continued to grow amidst rising geopolitical tensions, a global pandemic, and the rapid evolution of technology.

At the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada led the establishment of the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism as a coordinated effort with our allies to confront the threat of disinformation and protect G7 democracies from foreign threats. Since then, the program has played a key role in detecting and identifying foreign interference and state-sponsored disinformation against democracies and also in monitoring federal elections in Canada.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $13.4 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $2.8 million ongoing to Global Affairs Canada to renew and expand the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism.

The government will also continue its work to combat misinformation, which includes supporting research at public institutions; ongoing cyber activities to protect Canadians against disinformation; and expanding its efforts into important new areas.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $10 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $2 million ongoing for the Privy Council Office to coordinate, develop, and implement government-wide measures designed to combat disinformation and protect our democracy.

Infrastructure

Moving on Canada’s Infrastructure Investments

The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is providing $33.5 billion over 11 years for public infrastructure across Canada. Under this program, provinces and territories prioritize and submit projects to Infrastructure Canada for review. To date, the program has approved more than $20 billion for over 4,500 projects in communities across the country, including the Montreal Blue Line, Calgary Green Line, and Vancouver Millennium Line extensions, and the public transit expansion in Ontario.

However, many of the funded projects are reporting construction delays due to the pandemic. Despite significant progress, there is also a need for provinces to more quickly commit their remaining funding to projects that will deliver the infrastructure that our communities need.

• Budget 2022 signals the government’s intention to accelerate the deadline for provinces to fully commit their remaining funding under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to priority projects to March 31, 2023. As a measure of fiscal prudence, any uncommitted funds after this date will be reallocated to other priorities. The federal government will work closely with provinces to support them in expediting project submissions. The existing deadline of March 31, 2025 will remain unchanged for the territories.
• Budget 2022 also proposes to extend the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s construction deadline from October 2027 to October 2033. To support this extension, Budget 2022 proposes to adjust the program’s funding profile so that funding is available when needed. This extension recognizes delays caused by the pandemic, and will ensure that provinces and territories can fund priority projects.

These measures will help ensure that federal funding for infrastructure can continue to support transformative infrastructure projects in communities across Canada.

Intellectual Property

Building a World-Class Intellectual Property Regime

Patent-owning businesses grow faster and pay higher wages. However, on the number of patents held, Canada lags behind other countries we are competing with to attract investment and grow our economy.

Since 2015, the federal government has taken important steps to improve Canada’s intellectual property performance, including through the launch of the National Intellectual Property Strategy in 2018, and Elevate IP and IP Assist announced in Budget 2021.

To build a world-class intellectual property regime, Budget 2022 proposes to build on previous investments and provide $96.6 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $22.9 million ongoing, as follows:

• $47.8 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, and $20.1 million ongoing to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to launch a new national lab-to-market platform to help graduate students and researchers take their work to market;
• $35 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Global Affairs Canada for the CanExport program to help Canadian businesses secure their intellectual property in foreign markets;
• $10.6 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $2 million ongoing to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to launch a survey to assess the government’s previous investments in science and research, and how knowledge created at post-secondary institutions generates commercial outcomes;
• $2.4 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $0.6 million ongoing to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to expand use of ExploreIP, Canada’s intellectual property marketplace, so that more public sector intellectual property is put to use helping Canadian businesses; and,
• $0.8 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $0.2 million ongoing to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to expand the Intellectual Property Legal Clinics Program, which will make it easier to access basic intellectual property services.

The Strategic Intellectual Property Program Review announced in Budget 2021 is underway. Where appropriate the federal government intends to strengthen intellectual property conditions to promote the growth of intellectual property and maintain it in Canada.

The government will also undertake a review of further ways to build innovative companies that support Canada’s competitiveness, keep intellectual property in Canada, and attract talent and investment from around the world. In particular, the government will consider and seek views on the suitability of adopting a patent box regime and other measures to promote the growth of intellectual property and maintain it in Canada.

Legal Aid

Enhancing Legal Aid for Those Who Need It Most

All Canadians should have access to a fair justice process. The federal government helps fund criminal legal aid services, in partnership with provinces and territories, to support access to justice for Canadians who are unable to pay for legal support. In Canada, Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized Canadians, and those with mental health issues disproportionately go before criminal courts. In order to ensure that no one is disadvantaged before the courts and that every Canadian receives a fair hearing, more support is needed.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $60 million in 2023-24 to increase the federal contribution to criminal legal aid services.

Library and Archives Canada

Addressing the Shameful Legacy of Residential Schools

The country was shaken following the multiple discoveries of unmarked burial sites at former residential schools over the past year, which are reminders of the shameful legacy of residential schools and colonialism.

The announcements of these mass burial sites have brought up painful memories, and triggered suppressed traumas within Indigenous communities. Survivors and their families have experienced an increased need for emotional and cultural support. The federal government will continue to be there to support communities as they respond to and heal from intergenerational trauma and the ongoing impact of residential schools. Addressing the legacy of residential schools will take time, and Canada will undertake this work in partnership with Indigenous people and communities.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $209.8 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, 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; to support the operations of and a new building for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation; and to ensure the complete disclosure of federal documents related to residential schools.
• Budget 2022 also proposes $10.4 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to Justice Canada to support the appointment of a Special Interlocutor who will work collaboratively with Indigenous peoples and make recommendations for changes to strengthen federal laws and practices to protect and preserve unmarked burial sites.
• Budget 2022 also proposes $5.1 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Public Safety Canada to ensure the Royal Canadian Mounted Police can support community-led responses to unmarked burial sites.
• Budget 2022 also proposes $25 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to Library and Archives Canada to support the digitization of millions of documents relating to the federal Indian Day School System, which will ensure survivors and all Canadians have meaningful access to them.
• Budget 2022 also proposes to provide $25 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to Parks Canada to support the commemoration and memorialization of former residential schools sites.

Mental Health

Supporting Mental Well-Being With the Wellness Together Canada Portal

The federal government launched the Wellness Together Canada portal in April 2020 in response to the unprecedented rise in levels of stress, anxiety, and depression associated with the pandemic. Since then, more than two million people across Canada have accessed free information and support through the portal. Children and young people make up almost 50 per cent of users, and 42 per cent of texting users have identified themselves as LGBTQ2.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $140 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to Health Canada for the Wellness Together Canada portal so it can continue to provide Canadians with tools and services to support their mental health and well-being.

The Wellness Together Canada portal complements PocketWell, a free app launched in January 2022 that helps Canadians access free and confidential sessions with social workers, psychologists and other professionals, as well as other mental health and substance use prevention services from their phone.

Better Mental Health Support for Black Federal Public Servants

Black Canadians face distinct mental health challenges that can arise from structural racism and inequities in access to mental health care. The 2020 Public Service Employee Survey showed that Black federal public servants feel less included in the workplace—a key component of a healthy and safe work environment. The government is committed to supporting a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace for Black public servants across the federal government.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $3.7 million over four years, starting in 2022-23, to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat for Black-led engagement, design, and implementation of a Mental Health Fund for Black federal public servants.

Distinctions-based Mental Health and Wellness

Addressing the unique and deeply rooted traumas of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities—which include intergenerational trauma; overt and systemic racism and discrimination; and social and economic inequality—requires a distinctions-based approach to mental health and wellness that is developed and delivered by Indigenous peoples.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $227.6 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to maintain trauma-informed, culturally-appropriate, Indigenous-led services to improve mental wellness, and to support efforts initiated through Budget 2021 to co-develop distinctions-based mental health and wellness strategies.

News and Journalism / Publishing

Ensuring Fair Compensation for News Media in the Digital News Ecosystem

Accurate, diverse, and relevant news contributes to a thriving and functioning democracy in Canada. As readers change habits and get increasingly more of their information online, it is important that news media continue to be independent and reliable. In order for that to happen, news media businesses must be able to receive fair compensation when their content is shared online.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $8.5 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to establish a new legislative and regulatory regime to require digital platforms that generate revenues from the publication of news content to share a portion of their revenues with Canadian news outlets.

Supporting Local and Diverse Journalism

The diversity of media and news stories in Canada should reflect the diversity of Canadians. As digital technologies have fundamentally restructured the economic foundations of the news media sector—both decreasing access and diversity of perspectives—it is important, now more than ever, for Canadians to have reliable information from and about their own communities.

• To support diverse and local stories in news media, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $15 million in 2023-24 to Canadian Heritage as follows:
  • $10 million in 2023-24 for the Local Journalism Initiative to continue to support the production of local journalism for underserved communities across Canada.
  • $5 million in 2023-24 to launch a new Changing Narratives Fund to break down systemic barriers in the media and cultural sectors and help racialized and religious minority journalists, creators, and organizations have their experiences and perspectives better represented.
• Budget 2022 also proposes to provide $40 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to Canadian Heritage for the Canada Periodical Fund to support the availability of journalistic content and to help these publications adapt to the continually evolving technology and media consumption habits of Canadians.

Reconciliation

Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

The coming into force of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act marked a historic milestone in Canada’s collective journey towards reconciliation—one rooted in the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The federal government remains committed to the Act’s full and effective implementation, in partnership with Indigenous peoples.

• To this end, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $65.8 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $11 million ongoing, to Justice Canada and Natural Resources Canada to accelerate work to meet legislated requirements, including the co-development of an action plan with Indigenous partners.
• To complement this work, Budget 2022 also proposes $9.5 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to the Department of National Defence to align its operations and engagement with Indigenous peoples with the Act.

Addressing the Shameful Legacy of Residential Schools

The country was shaken following the multiple discoveries of unmarked burial sites at former residential schools over the past year, which are reminders of the shameful legacy of residential schools and colonialism.

The announcements of these mass burial sites have brought up painful memories, and triggered suppressed traumas within Indigenous communities. Survivors and their families have experienced an increased need for emotional and cultural support. The federal government will continue to be there to support communities as they respond to and heal from intergenerational trauma and the ongoing impact of residential schools. Addressing the legacy of residential schools will take time, and Canada will undertake this work in partnership with Indigenous people and communities.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $209.8 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, 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; to support the operations of and a new building for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation; and to ensure the complete disclosure of federal documents related to residential schools.
• Budget 2022 also proposes $10.4 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to Justice Canada to support the appointment of a Special Interlocutor who will work collaboratively with Indigenous peoples and make recommendations for changes to strengthen federal laws and practices to protect and preserve unmarked burial sites.
• Budget 2022 also proposes $5.1 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Public Safety Canada to ensure the Royal Canadian Mounted Police can support community-led responses to unmarked burial sites.
• Budget 2022 also proposes $25 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to Library and Archives Canada to support the digitization of millions of documents relating to the federal Indian Day School System, which will ensure survivors and all Canadians have meaningful access to them.
• Budget 2022 also proposes to provide $25 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to Parks Canada to support the commemoration and memorialization of former residential schools sites.

Legislative Changes to Support Self-Determination

Building strong Indigenous nations requires strong Indigenous governments and Indigenous-led institutions. This is why Budget 2022 affirms the federal government’s commitment to make legislative changes that will help move beyond colonial systems to advance Indigenous self-determination.

• Budget 2022 announces the government’s intention to replace the First Nations Land Management Act—which empowers First Nations to opt out of Indian Act provisions related to land management and replace them with their own laws—with the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management Act. This shorter, simpler legislation will continue to advance the First Nations Land Management Regime by giving force of law to the nation-to-nation Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.
• Budget 2022 also announces the government’s intention to enact the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act, which will create the Anishinabek Nation Government and community-level governments for participating First Nations, marking the first core self-governance agreement in Ontario.

Supporting First Nations Children Through Jordan’s Principle

The federal government is committed to eliminating the systemic barriers that prevent First Nations children from accessing services and support they need to thrive. Jordan’s Principle is a vital part of this work, helping to ensure that all First Nations children can access the health, social, and educational services they need, when they need them. Since 2016, the government has committed nearly $2.4 billion towards meeting the needs of First Nations children through Jordan’s Principle.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $4 billion over six years, starting in 2021-22, to ensure First Nations children continue to receive the support they need through Jordan’s Principle. This funding will also support long-term reforms to improve the implementation of Jordan’s Principle.

Implementing Indigenous Child Welfare Legislation

The government is committed to addressing theImplementing Indigenous Child Welfare Legislation over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in care. An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families came into force on January 1, 2020, and is an important step towards meaningfully addressing disparities in the child and family services system. In 2021, the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan became the first community to sign a Coordination Agreement, reclaiming jurisdiction over their child welfare system and the right to make decisions about what is best for their children and families.

Many more Indigenous communities are taking the steps they need to do the same. Investments in Indigenous-led solutions are required to both reduce the number of children in care, and to keep Indigenous children and youth connected to their families, their communities, and their culture. Budget 2022 proposes important funding to support the Act’s implementation and affirm Indigenous jurisdiction over child and family services.

• Budget 2022 provides $340.8 million over ten years, starting in 2021-22, to support Wabaseemoong Independent Nations’ exercise of jurisdiction.
• Budget 2022 also proposes to provide $87.3 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to enable Indigenous communities to continue to work with the federal government and the provinces and territories to support the implementation of Indigenous child welfare laws.

Research and Development

Review of Tax Support to R&D and Intellectual Property

The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program provides tax incentives to encourage Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct R&D. The SR&ED program has been a cornerstone of Canada’s innovation strategy. The government intends to undertake a review of the program, first to ensure that it is effective in encouraging R&D that benefits Canada, and second to explore opportunities to modernize and simplify it. Specifically, the review will examine whether changes to eligibility criteria would be warranted to ensure adequacy of support and improve overall program efficiency.

As part of this review, the government will also consider whether the tax system can play a role in encouraging the development and retention of intellectual property stemming from R&D conducted in Canada. In particular, the government will consider, and seek views on, the suitability of adopting a patent box regime in order to meet these objectives.

Securing Canada’s Research from Foreign Threats

Canadian research and intellectual property can be an attractive target for foreign intelligence agencies looking to advance their own economic, military, or strategic interests. The National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships, developed in collaboration with the Government of Canada– Universities Working Group in July 2021, help to protect federally funded research.

• To implement these guidelines fully, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $159.6 million, starting in 2022-23, and $33.4 million ongoing, as follows:
• $125 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $25 million ongoing, for the Research Support Fund to build capacity within post- secondary institutions to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks to research security; and
• $34.6 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $8.4 million ongoing, to enhance Canada’s ability to protect our research, and to establish a Research Security Centre that will provide advice and guidance directly to research institutions.

Hiring More Leading Researchers

The federal government created the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) in 2000 to grow the number of world-class researchers in Canada. Today, there are more than 2,200 Canada Research Chairs helping our universities lead cutting- edge research. An extensive evaluation of the CRCP is currently underway and is expected to be completed in fall 2022. Future investments and modernization to the CRCP will be examined following the review.

To complement the CRCP, the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program attracts and retains top-tier global research faculty in science and technology.

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $38.3 million over four years, starting in 2023-24, and $12.7 million ongoing for the federal granting councils to add new, internationally recruited Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This will support a further 12 to 25 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs— reinforcing Canada’s competitive advantage as a destination of choice for world-class researchers.

Leveraging the National Research Council

The National Research Council (NRC) provides a network of research and technical facilities across Canada, supporting business, government, and university collaborations.

Budget 2022 announces that the government will explore new ways to better integrate leading university researchers and business partners and further modernize the NRC to better invent, innovate, and prosper.

Additional information will be forthcoming alongside further details on the establishment of the new innovation and investment agency.

Funding for Black Researchers

A diverse, inclusive, and equitable research community leads to better research and science. The scholarship and fellowship programs of the federal granting councils—the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research—provide student researchers with the support they need to pursue research and science and to secure good jobs. However, Black researchers are underrepresented in the awarding of these grants, scholarships, and fellowships. To help increase opportunities for Black Canadian researchers:

• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $40.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $9.7 million ongoing to the federal granting councils to support targeted scholarships and fellowships for promising Black student researchers.

Proposed Legislative Changes

Amendments to the Copyright Act

In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Copyright Act to extend the general term of copyright protection from 50 to 70 years after the life of the author as agreed under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.The government is committed to ensuring that the Copyright Act protects all creators and copyright holders. As such, the government will also work to ensure a sustainable educational publishing industry, including fair remuneration for creators and copyright holders, as well as a modern and innovative marketplace that can efficiently serve copyright users.

Amendments to the Financial Administration Act to Support the Canadian Digital Service

In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce amendments to the Financial Administration Act to enable the Canadian Digital Service to provide its digital platform services more broadly, including to other jurisdictions in Canada, and to clarify its responsibilities under the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act with respect to the services it provides.

Allowing Use of Canada Revenue Agency-collected Data for Canada Pension Plan Analysis and Evaluation

In Budget 2022, the government proposes to make legislative amendments to the Canada Pension Plan legislation to allow the use of Canada Revenue Agency-collected data by Employment and Social Development Canada when performing policy analysis, reporting, and evaluation functions for the Canada Pension Plan. Access to this data would support the government’s commitment to evidence-based policy development and GBA Plus analysis.