Liberals could admit up to 662,000 permanent residents in 2027
Budget 2026 sets a target of 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals in 2027, while separate immigration measures could bring the real number of permanent resident admissions to as many as 662,000.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the Liberals of “cooking the books” by presenting official immigration targets that do not capture the full potential number of permanent residents. Keep reading.
Up to 282k excluded from permanent resident targets, immigration official confirms
Speaking with Juno News, a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Lena Diab confirmed that up to 282,000 additional permanent resident approvals are separate from the government’s official target of 380,000 for 2027.
The additional pathways include up to 200,000 temporary migrants, 69,000 refugees and asylum seekers, and 13,000 temporary foreign workers. Keep reading.
BUDGET: Millions for race, gender and sexuality-based programs
Budget 2026 proposes $289.2 million across several funding commitments for race-based justice initiatives, LGBTQ programs, women’s equality and menstrual health.
The spending includes $70 million to renew the Menstrual Equity Fund, alongside continued funding for the Black Justice Strategy and the federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. Keep reading.
Carney budget commits $1.5B to mainstream media and culture subsidies
Budget 2026 allocates more than $1.5 billion in taxpayer funding to the CBC, private media companies and Canada’s cultural industries, despite projecting a $62.3-billion federal deficit.
The commitments include $300 million for CBC/Radio-Canada, $501 million in journalism tax credits, $134 million for local news and $600 million for broadcasting and cultural production, prompting criticism from taxpayer advocates over government support for media organizations. Keep reading.
BUDGET: More intelligence funding and European defence commitments
Budget 2026 proposes $6 billion over 10 years for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), followed by nearly $580 million in annual funding, to expand its capabilities and international security partnerships.
The spending plan also outlines billions in European defence commitments, military technology investments and expanded biometric screening and information-sharing at home. Keep reading.
