Canada election: Complete list of spending promises made during the 2021 campaign

Here’s a running list of the spending promises that Justin Trudeau, Erin O’Toole, Annamie Paul, Jagmeet Singh, and Yves-Francois Blanchet have made from the time the campaign starts to election day:

Skip to spending promises made by:

• Conservatives
• Liberals
• NDP
• Green Party
• Bloc Québécois

View promises on other topics:

• Health care and the COVID-19 pandemic
• Affordability and real estate
• Climate change
• Indigenous reconciliation

Conservative Promises

Aug. 16: In his 160-page platform, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is promising a Conservative government would, through its Canada Jobs Surge Plan, pay up to 50 per cent of the salaries of new hires once the existing Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) is phased out. Before the election was called, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland extended the CEWS program until the end of October.

• The Tories say they will provide a 50 per cent rebate for food and non-alcoholic drinks purchased for dine-in from Monday to Wednesday for one month once it is safe to do so.
• The Tory platform says a Conservative government would double the Canada Workers Benefit to a maximum of $2,800 for individuals or $5,000 for families, paying it quarterly rather than in a single tax refund at the end of the year.
• Through its Explore and Support Canada initiative, the Conservatives say they will offer a 15 per cent tax credit for vacation expenses of up to $1,000 per person for Canadians to vacation in the country next year in an effort to support the tourism sector.
• The Tories say they will eliminate the Liberal escalator tax on alcohol.
• The Conservatives say they will launch the Main Street Business Loan to provide loans of up to $200,000, saying the current $60,000 Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan is too small.
• The Conservatives plan to double the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit for the next three years to help create more places for apprentices.
• An O’Toole-led government would give someone making $20,000 per year a 1$/hour raise, according to the platform.
• The Conservatives say they will invest $250 million over two years to create the Canada Job Training Fund, which will provide grants to various organizations to better workers’ skills.
• Erin O’Toole says a Conservative government would balance the budget by 2031.

Aug. 29: The Conservatives will launch a Rebuild Main Street tax credit for small businesses if elected, and will reform the Business Development Bank of Canada to ensure its loan programs are accessible to small businesses.

Aug. 30:  O’Toole vowed a Conservative government would provide $10 million a year to train judges and prosecutors on the links between violence against animals and violence against people. He also said his government would ban puppy mills and cosmetic testing on animals, and add animal cruelty as an aggravating factor in domestic violence prosecutions.

Sept. 5: The Conservatives pledged to hire an additional 200 RCMP officers to combat gangs and gun and drug smuggling. They say they will also provide $100 million over five years to support training for non-provincial police forces in sexual exploitation, sexual offences, cybersecurity and online offences.

Sept. 9: The Conservatives promised to revise supply chain legislation to “meaningfully enforce” Canada’s commitment not to import products made with slave labour.

Aug. 12: The Conservatives pledged to boost financial supports for parents, extending their employment insurance benefits for up to eight weeks following the death of their child.

Liberal Promises

Aug. 16: The Liberals promised to extend a hiring credit that was first unveiled in their recent budget through to the end of March 2022.

• They also pledged to help Canada’s hardest hit sectors from the pandemic, like tourism and live theatres.

Aug. 20: The Liberals have promised to provide 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers. The amendment to the Criminal Code would come within the first 100 days of a new mandate, Trudeau said.

Aug. 25: The Liberals promised to make profitable big banks and insurance companies contribute billions to economic recovery.

Sept. 1: The Liberals release their election platform, which includes a plan of $78 billion in new spending over the next five years. The Liberals say they will bring in $25.5 billion in new revenue in the same frame. The party made no promises to balance the budget.

• The party says it will introduce a minimum 15 per cent tax rule for people in the highest income bracket, that will  remove their ability to eliminate their tax obligations through credits and deductions
• The Liberals re-affirmed their promise to implement a tax on luxury cars, boats, and planes outlined in the 2021 budget
• The party says it will work to help implement a global minimum tax
• The Liberals vow a national anti-flipping tax and a national tax on non-resident, non-Canadians on vacant land and residential property
• The Liberals say they will move forward with a national tax on vaping products, and will require tobacco manufacturers to pay for the cost of federal public health investments in tobacco control.
• The Liberal says they’ll establish a Canada Financial Crimes Agency, dedicated to investigating and combating all forms of major financial crime.

Sept. 6: The Liberals promised to expand the Canada Workers Benefit to an additional one million Canadians in low-wage jobs.

Sept. 18: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau pledged to revisit the idea of electoral reform if a consensus emerges on the issue. He says he’s open to amending the first-past-the-post system in use at present, but would not favour proportional representation as an alternative.

NDP Promises

Aug. 25: The NDP has promised to lower internet and cell phone bills for all Canadians if chosen to form government. They also said they would work with the CRTC to force large telecommunications companies to reduce prices and cap fees below the global average.

Aug. 30: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his government would work to close tax loopholes and crack down on tax evasion. He also said the NDP would strengthen Canada Revenue Agency enforcement of tax rules and increase public reporting on corporate taxes.

Sept. 7: The NDP pledged to double the investment in public transit projects, help municipalities fully electrify their fleets by 2030 and to make transit fares more affordable or free.

Green Party Promises

Bloc Québécois Promises

Aug. 22: The Bloc would introduce a unique tax filing system managed by the province of Quebec.

• The party is also promising to suspend the Canada Recovery Benefit, while making sure it can be reactivated if necessary and remain active for heavily impacted sectors.
• A Bloc Quebecois government would introduce a national reform of Employment Insurance that will protect workers, including freelance and seasonal workers.