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Recent Federal Investments in Health, Post-Secondary Education, Social Assistance and Social Services

Related information:

  • First Minister's Meeting, September 10-11, 2000: press release and background information (Intergovernmental Affairs - Privy Council Office).

Table 1:
Recent Federal Investments in Direct Support for Health, 
Post-Secondary Education, Social Assistance and Social Services
2000-01 At Maturity
($ billions)
Health 1.1 1.3
Post-Secondary Education 2.4 3.0
Social Assistance and Social Services 3.3 6.1
TOTAL 6.8 10.4
  • The figures in Table 1 cover investments of recent budgets in the areas of:
  • Health: including health protection, disease strategies, support for medical and health care research, First Nations and Inuit health services, and health-related tax measures.
  • Post-secondary education: including student financial assistance, support for research, and support for Canadians wanting to upgrade their skills or save for their children's higher education.
  • Social assistance and social services: including the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), employment Insurance (EI) parental benefits, assistance for people with disabilities, and programs and services for disadvantaged Canadians (e.g., youth at risk and homeless).
  • The total of $6.8 billion for 2000-01 will grow to $10.4 billion at maturity, as some programs are phased in (e.g., Canada Research Chairs) and tax changes come fully into effect (e.g., CCTB increases).
  • Tables 2, 3 and 4 provide details.

Table 2:
Recent Federal Investments in Direct Support for Health
Initiatives ="" ="" 2000-01 ="" ="" At="At" Maturity*
($ millions)
Improving health information
Canadian Institute for Health Information (expected annual flow) 24 24
Other health information initiatives 90 125
Subtotal 114 149
Promoting research and innovation
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation 13 13
Health Transition Fund 20 25
Canada Foundation for Innovation (expected annual flow for health – assumes 50:50 split of funds between health and post-secondary institutions) 175 175
Canadian Institutes of Health Research 65 175
Increased health funding for research councils 100 100
NURSE Fund (expected annual flow) 3 3
Subtotal 376 491
Enhancing health protection and promotion
National HIV/AIDS Strategy 41 41
Canadian breast cancer initiative 7 7
Tobacco Reduction Strategy 20 20
Blood regulation and surveillance 25 25
Toxic substances 14 14
Food safety 20 30
National and Aboriginal diabetes strategy 20 30
Strengthening health protection 50 50
Subtotal 197 217
Providing support to First Nations and Inuit for health services
Aboriginal Health Institute 5 5
Home care and information 60 110
Program supplements 50 50
Subtotal 115 165
Tax measures
Medical expense tax credit 30 30
Caregiver tax credit 125 130
Deductibility of private insurance premiums for self-employed 110 125
Subtotal 265 285
TOTAL 1,067 1,307

* The figures are for fiscal year 2001-02, except where noted.

Note: Support includes the annual amounts in support of health, research, and student financial assistance that are expected to flow from investments in the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the NURSE Fund and the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation.

Table 3:
Recent Federal Investments in Direct Support
for Post-Secondary Education
Initiatives 2000-01 At Maturity*
($ millions)
Financial assistance to students
Millennium scholarships (expected annual flow) 300 300
Canada Study Grants 100 100
Canada student loans -- program renewal and helping graduates manage debt 293 293
Subtotal 693 693
Support for advanced research and graduate students
Granting councils (excluding Medical Research Council) and Networks of Centres of Excellence 160 160
Canada Foundation for Innovation (excluding health research) 175 175
Canada Research Chairs (*mature level of support in 2004-05) 60 *300
Genome Canada 32 32
Subtotal 427 667
Tax measures to assist students and graduates
Increase in scholarship exemption to $3,000 from $500 5 30
Tax credit for interest on student loans 150 160
Tuition/education tax credit initiatives 240 250
Subtotal 395 440
Encouraging families to save for higher education
Canada Education Savings Grants (estimate) 744 980
Registered education savings plan (RESP) enhancements 115 150
Subtotal 859 1,130
Helping Canadians upgrade their skills
Tax-free registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) withdrawals for lifelong learning 45 50
Subtotal 45 50
TOTAL 2,419 2,980
* The figures are for fiscal year 2001-02, except where noted.

Table 4:
Recent Federal Investments in Direct Support
for Social Assistance and Social Services
Initiatives 2000-01 At Maturity*
($ millions)
Supporting families with children
CCTB incremental funding (*fully phased in by 2004-05; total value of CCTB by 2004-05 more than $9 billion) 2,635 *4,500
Children special allowances 55 55
Child care expenses 45 45
EI parental benefits (*Jan. 1, 2001, implementation, so first full fiscal year cost is 2002-03) ¾ *900
Prenatal Nutrition/Community Action Program for Children 63 63
Aboriginal Head Start 25 25
Subtotal 2,823 5,588
Assisting Canadians with disabilities
Opportunities Fund 30 30
Employability assistance for persons with disabilities 25 25
Subtotal 55 55
Other
Youth at risk/young offenders 134 134
Homelessness 235 235
Urban Aboriginal youth centres 25 25
Immigration and refugee settlement services 63 63
Subtotal 457 457
TOTAL 3,335 6,100
* The figures are for fiscal year 2001-02, except where noted.

Table 5:
Total Federal Expenditures (Including Recent Investments)
in Support for Health, Post-Secondary Education,
Social Assistance and Social Services
="" ="" 2000-01
="" ="" ($="($" billions)
Health 3.8
Post-Secondary Education 4.5
Social Assistance and Social Services 13.3
TOTAL 21.6
  • Total federal spending in these three areas, including the recent investments of $6.8 billion in 2000-01, amounts to $21.6 billion.
  • Tables 6, 7 and 8 provide details.

Table 6:
Federal Expenditures (Including Recent Investments)
in Support of Health – 2000-01
2000-01
($ millions)
Health Canada
Health Canada (excluding Prenatal Nutrition/Community Action Program for Children/Aboriginal Head Start, which are listed in Table 8) 1,987
Subtotal 1,987
Other
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (includes $295 million for Medical Research Council) 360
Canadian Institute for Health Information ($95 million over four years) 24
Canada Foundation for Innovation (health-related) 175
Veterans Affairs Canada main estimate (health-related) 575
NURSE Fund 3
Subtotal 1,137
Tax measures
Medical expense tax credit 415
Caregiver tax credit 125
Deductibility of private insurance premiums for self-employed 110
Subtotal 650
TOTAL 3,774

Table 7:
Federal Expenditures (Including Recent Investments)
in Support of Post-Secondary Education – 2000-01
Initiatives ="" ="" 2000-01
="" ="" ($="($" millions)
Human Resources Development Canada
Canada Student Loans Program 770
Canada Study Grants 120
Canada Education Savings Grants 744
Subtotal 1,634
Industry Canada
Granting councils (excluding Canadian Institutes of Health Research which
is listed in Table 6)		 689
Canada Research Chairs 60
CANARIE (Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education) 20
Subtotal 769
Indian and Northern Affairs
Aboriginal post-secondary education 288
Subtotal 288
Tax measures
Tuition/education tax credits 950
Tax credit for student loan interest 145
RESPs 140
Tax-free RRSP withdrawals to upgrade skills 55
Scholarship exemption 11
Subtotal 1,301
Foundations
Canada Foundation for Innovation 175
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 300
Subtotal 475
TOTAL 4,467

Table 8:
Federal Expenditures (Including Recent Investments)
in  Support of Social Assistance and Social Services – 2000-01
2000-01
($ millions)
Children
Canada Child Tax Benefit (expenditures by 2004-05: more than $9 billion) 7,500
Children special allowances
Child care expense deduction 570
EI parental benefits (expenditures by 2002-03: $2.2 billion) 1,276
Prenatal Nutrition/Community Action Program for Children 94
Aboriginal Head Start 48
Subtotal 9,588
People with disabilities
Opportunities Fund 30
Employability assistance for persons with disabilities 193
Disability tax credit 280
Infirm dependants credit 7
Subtotal 510
Aboriginal peoples
First Nations social services 1,145
Aboriginal primary education 995
Urban Aboriginal youth centres 25
Subtotal 2,165
Youth
Youth at risk 150
Young offenders 179
Subtotal 329
Other
Homelessness (including Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program) 235
Criminal legal aid 80
Immigration and refugee settlement services 387
Subtotal 702
TOTAL 13,294
Child care expense deduction 570
EI parental benefits (expenditures by 2002-03: $2.2 billion) 1,276
Prenatal Nutrition/Community Action Program for Children 94
Aboriginal Head Start 48
Subtotal 9,588
People with disabilities
Opportunities Fund 30
Employability assistance for persons with disabilities 193
Disability tax credit 280
Infirm dependants credit 7
Subtotal 510
Aboriginal peoples
First Nations social services 1,145
Aboriginal primary education 995
Urban Aboriginal youth centres 25
Subtotal 2,165
Youth
Youth at risk 150
Young offenders 179
Subtotal 329
Other
Homelessness (including Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program) 235
Criminal legal aid 80
Immigration and refugee settlement services 387
Subtotal 702
TOTAL 13,294
Date Modified: 2008-09-22

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