OTTAWA – The Green Party is calling for increased spending to address the climate emergency, the housing crisis, and persistent holes in Canada’s social safety net when Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland brings down this year’s federal budget next week.
In their pre-budget submission filed late last month, Green leaders warned the minister against giving in to the fear of inflation and delivering an austerity budget that risks turning an uncertain post-pandemic economic recovery into a recession.
Among the priorities identified in the Green Party’s submission:
- New programs on mental health including housing for people with mental illness, mental health research and free access to counselling services for people on low and middle incomes.
- Testing a new approach to poverty elimination by sharing the cost of a Guaranteed Livable Income with the provincial government of P.E.I.
- Taking action to lift Canadians living with disabilities out of poverty by moving forward with the Canada Disability Benefit.
- Increased funding to build affordable housing and non-market housing, including a substantial investment in cooperative housing.
- A focused fund to replenish core scientific capacity in key government agencies.
- Improved access to funds to respond to climate disasters and financial help for home and business owners to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
- An immediate end to all fossil fuel subsidies.
- Legislation and funding to guarantee workers in the fossil fuel sector a just transition to the clean, green economy of the 21st century.
- A major investment in modern, affordable, low-carbon intercity ground transportation with rail as the hub and spokes of light rail and electric bus connections.
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
John Chenery
[email protected]
1-613-562-4916 ext. 215