Minister Anandasangaree highlights supports for workers and young people from Spring Economic Update 2026: Canada Strong for All Français
OSHAWA, ON, May 1, 2026 /CNW/ - In Budget 2025, we outlined our plan to build Canada Strong. Since then, we have moved fast to build the major infrastructure, homes, and industries that grow Canada's economy and create lasting prosperity; empower Canadians with better careers and a more affordable life; and protect our communities, our borders, and our way of life.
We delivered concrete savings for Canadians while supporting key national priorities and keeping investments focused on results. We are maintaining a strong fiscal position, with the Spring Economic Update 2026 showing that projected deficits are lower over the fiscal horizon and that we are on track to meet our fiscal anchors.
The Spring Economic Update 2026 is the next step in our plan to build Canada Strong for All. It provides a clear update on the strength of Canada's economy, giving Canadians confidence in our plan. It delivers targeted relief to make life more affordable, support workers, and accelerate the construction of homes and major infrastructure. It also strengthens Canada's competitiveness and economic growth while investing in strong, safe communities across the country.
Today, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety met with students and staff of Durham College in Oshawa, to highlight key investments from the Spring Economic Update to help workers and young people gain the skills, experience, and support they need to succeed.
Canada's new government is making it easier to learn, train and find meaningful opportunities. This includes:
- Creating new opportunities for young Canadians: Launching Team Canada Strong to recruit, train, and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers by 2030-31, aligned to Canada's housing, infrastructure, and defence needs.
- Expanding training capacity to deliver results at scale: Modernizing and increasing apprenticeship and Red Seal training capacity, working with unions, employers, provinces and territories, and national institutions to shorten timelines and improve outcomes.
- Removing financial barriers during apprenticeship training: Introduce a new and redesigned Apprenticeship Grant that will provide apprentices with a weekly income top-up of $400 per week while they are attending mandatory in-class technical training for a total payment of up to $16,000 per apprentice, paid in addition to Employment Insurance.
- Making education more affordable: Extend for the 2026-27 academic year the increases to Canada Student Grants and interest-free Canada Student Loans--571,000 students are expected to benefit from the increase to non-repayable grants, and 422,000 students could benefit from the weekly loan limit increase.
- Helping tradespeople go where the work is: Enhancing the Labour Mobility Deduction will make it more affordable for skilled workers to travel to where jobs are available.
- Encouraging shared ownership: Making the Employee Ownership Trust tax exemption permanent will help more workers share in the success of the businesses they help build.
As part of Budget 2025, young Canadians are gaining opportunities to work and build careers, with 175,000 placements supported in 2026-27 through Canada Summer Jobs, the horizontal Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, and the Student Work Placement Program.
Our new government is building a Canada that is not just strong, but good; not just prosperous, but fair. A Canada that is not just for some, most of the time, but for all, at all times. We're building Canada strong, for all.
Quotes
"The Spring Economic Update 2026 builds on the momentum of our budget, combining strategic investments with sustained fiscal discipline to keep building Canada Strong for All – delivering prosperity today and strengthening our economy for tomorrow. At this pivotal moment in Canada's history, we're charting a course through the fog of uncertainty and global headwinds with strength, determination, and ambition – and building one strong Canadian economy, by Canadians, for Canadians."
- The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue
"Our government is making it easier for workers and young people to learn, train, and succeed. We're expanding apprenticeships and skilled trades training, removing financial barriers with new income supports, helping workers go where the jobs are, and making post‑secondary education more affordable--while creating real opportunities for young Canadians to build meaningful careers and help build a stronger Canada for all."
- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
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Associated links
- Spring Economic Update 2026: Canada Strong for All
- Spring Economic Update 2026: Key Measures
- Spring Economic Update 2026: Address by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue
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Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]; Alyson Chambers, Director of Communications, Office of the Secretary of State (Sport), [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, [email protected]
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