Budget 2003

Families, Communities, and Culture

February 18, 2003
Ottawa, Ontario

Providing support for families and children in need is a reflection of a society that is compassionate and caring. It is also an investment in the future.

Families

Budget 2003 provides an $965-million-per-year increase to the National Child Benefit supplement of the Canada Child Tax Benefit by 2007. This brings the maximum annual benefit for a first child provided through the CCTB to $3,243, $3,016 for the second child, and $3,020 for each additional child. This increase will amount to estimated annual support of over $10 billion in 2007 – more than double what it was in 1996.

We are providing $935 million over five years to help provinces, territories, and First Nations provide greater access to quality child care and early learning opportunities. This is particularly vital for single parents or those managing on low incomes.

We are providing $50 million per year for a new Child Disability Benefit for low- and modest-income families that will provide up to $1,600 per year for a child with a disability. Other tax measures will facilitate RRSP rollovers to infirm dependent children and expands the list of eligible expenses for the medical expenses tax credit.

Budget 2003 sets aside $25 million in 2003-04 and $80 million per year starting in 2004-05 to help people with disabilities. We will be guided by an upcoming evaluation of the Disability Tax Credit and the advice of a technical advisory committee.

Budget 2003 also provides a new Employment Insurance Benefit for a six-week compassionate care leave for people who take time off from their jobs to care for gravely ill or dying family members.

Aboriginal Peoples

Budget 2003 enhances existing programs and includes significant investments to improve the quality of life of Aboriginal Canadians, both on and off reserve. This includes:

1. $17 million over two years to meet needs of Aboriginal Peoples in urban centres;
2. $72 million for education, training and employment opportunities;
3. $18 million over the next years to support Aboriginal languages and culture;
4. $1.3 billion over five years to support health programming for First Nations and Inuit including capital development, nursing programs, and an immunization strategy on reserves;
5. $600 million over five years to upgrade, maintain and monitor water and wastewater systems on First Nations reserves;
6. $42 million over two years for the First Nations Policing Program;
7. $172.5 million over 11 years to support the creation and the operation of a new Aboriginal Languages and Cultures Centre under the stewardship of Aboriginal people;
8. $20 million over two years for Aboriginal Business Canada to enhance support for business development and entrepreneurship.

Culture

We are strengthening Canada’s culture with an investment of $150 million over two years to the Canadian Television Fund to promote the production of quality television programming.

Budget 2003 invests $114.5 million in the next two years to launch a five-year action plan on official languages.

We are also investing $10 million a year for three years to a contribution program that will provide a financial incentive to the private sector to preserve historic places.