The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has received 948 written submissions from Canadians and industry stakeholders as part of its pre-budget consultations, marking the highest number of contributions in recent years.
The submissions will help shape the federal government’s first budget under Prime Minister Mark Carney, set to be tabled on November 4, 2025.
Technology and Innovation at the Forefront
A significant share of submissions focused on artificial intelligence and digital policy:
- A coalition of Canadian hospitals is requesting over $1 billion in funding to strengthen AI and health-care capacity.
- Rogers Communications is urging Ottawa to integrate digital technology into energy corridors for major infrastructure projects.
- A Canadian tech sector alliance is calling for accelerated investment in sovereign compute and cloud infrastructure.
- IBM Canada is lobbying for federal support to expand quantum computing capacity.
Submissions also came from a diverse range of industries:
- Airlines and airports are pressing for a national digital ID and biometrics strategy led by the AI minister.
- Rumble, the Canadian-founded platform hosting U.S. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social, has raised concerns around free speech in relation to Ottawa’s pending online harms legislation.
The nearly 1,000 briefs underscore the high expectations placed on the upcoming budget, which will be a key test for the Carney government as it balances economic resilience, innovation, and affordability.
The committee will now review submissions before issuing recommendations to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland ahead of the November budget announcement.