Feds’ priciest COVID-19 spending measures could cost more than $851-million, says budget watchdog

In accounting for the spending drives in response to COVID-19 rolled out so far, the PBO projects Canada’s deficit could soar to $184.2-billion for the 2020-21 fiscal year. The last time Canada was that deep in the red was in 1984-85.

Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux, pictured on Jan. 14, 2019, and his office forecast that Canada's deficit could soar to $184.2-billion for the 2020-21 fiscal year. It does not account for the feds 75 per cent wage subsidy bill, which will be debated Saturday afternoon. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

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BY PALAK MANGAT

April 9, 2020

Some of the federal government’s priciest spending measures in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic could cost more than $851-million between the 2020 and 2021 fiscal year, according to analyses released Thursday by the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

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