Secretary of State McLean highlights budget investments in competition, affordability, and infrastructure

VICTORIA, BC, Nov. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - In a rapidly changing and uncertain world, Canada's government is focused on what we can control. We are protecting our communities and our country. We are building our economy with major projects and millions more homes. We are empowering Canadians with lower costs and new opportunities to help you get ahead. We cannot control what other nations do, but we can control what we choose to build--and we are building Canada Strong.

Today, the Honourable Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors), was at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, British Columbia, to highlight Budget 2025's investments to support competition, affordability and infrastructure. Under the Build Communities Strong Fund, Royal Athletic Park is eligible for up to $6 million in funding.  

Building Canada Strong

To build new infrastructure to speed up work and bring down costs, the Build Communities Strong Fund will invest $51 billion over 10 years, followed by $3 billion per year ongoing, to revitalize local infrastructure--the hospitals, universities, and colleges that serve our people, the roads and bridges that move our goods, and the water and transit systems that sustain our towns. The program will include: 

• A provincial and territorial stream that will provide $17.2 billion over 10 years to support infrastructure projects and priorities in housing, health care, and education. This could include transit infrastructure, colleges, universities, medical schools, and water and wastewater facilities.
  • From this stream, $5 billion over three years will be dedicated specifically to a new Health Infrastructure Fund, upgrading health infrastructure such as hospitals, emergency rooms, and urgent care centres.
• A direct delivery stream that will provide $6 billion to support regionally significant projects, large building retrofits, climate adaptation, or community infrastructure. This could include clean-energy generation and storage projects, flood protection, and new community and recreational spaces.
• A community stream that will provide $27.8 billion for local roads, bridges, water systems, and community centres--getting the basics right and helping towns and cities grow.

When colleges and universities have archaic buildings, when hospitals are over capacity, and when water systems fail, productivity drops and businesses pay more. The Build Communities Strong Fund will spur economic activity, create new careers in the skilled trades, and give investors the confidence to build around reliable public infrastructure. 

Quotes

"Budget 2025 is an investment budget--a confident Canada taking control of its own future. Central to that mission is building local infrastructure, so we can empower Canadians with faster commutes, better careers, and lower costs. With a new investment of over $50 billion, we are building stronger communities to build Canada strong." 

– The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

"Budget 2025 introduces some of the most ambitious, pro-competition measures Canada has seen in a generation to improve affordability. For too long, a lack of competition has meant Canadians pay too much. We're changing that. By increasing competition in the financial and telecommunications sectors, we're delivering lower prices, better service, and more choices for Canadians."

– The Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue

"Canadians deserve fair prices and real choices. Budget 2025 is about just that: increasing competition in the financial and telecommunication sectors to deliver lower prices, better service, and more options. That's how we build a stronger economy that works for everyone."

– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

"We are making generational investments through the Build Communities Strong Fund. By delivering this critical infrastructure to communities across the country, we are directly investing in our workers and businesses--and building Canada strong."

– The Honourable Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors)

"Budget 2025 is investing in the local infrastructure that Victoria and communities across B.C. rely on. Projects like the upgrades to Royal Athletic Park support good jobs, help local businesses grow, and make our neighbourhoods stronger, healthier, and more vibrant for the future."

– Member of Parliament for Victoria, Will Greaves

"I'm thrilled that the federal government has created a $6 billion direct-to-local-government funding stream to support major community infrastructure, including community and recreation spaces. Royal Athletic Park is a signature recreational facility in the City of Victoria that serves the entire south island region. The facility is a centre for community building, and hosts important special events and national events, like the annual Truth and Reconciliation Powwow and the CFL's Touchdown Pacific, in addition to local semi-professional sports teams like the HarbourCats, and many community festivals and recreation programs. I look forward to engaging with the federal government more and learning the details of the allocation to Royal Athletic Park."

– Mayor Marianne Alto, City of Victoria

Quick facts

• Canada has the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7 at 13.3%, according to the IMF October 2025 Fiscal Monitor. Canada also has one of the lowest deficit-to-GDP ratios in the G7, second only to Japan. This strong fiscal position enables us to respond to global challenges.
• Canada is one of only two G7 economies with a AAA credit rating, making Canada one of the best places to invest.
• Canada has the best deal of any U.S. trading partner, with 85% of our trade tariff-free. While some sectors remain deeply impacted, overall, Canadian exporters benefit from the lowest average U.S. tariff of any country at 5.4%.
• Budget 2025 rests on two fiscal anchors:
  • balancing day-to-day operating spending with revenues by 2028–29, shifting spending toward investments that grow the economy; and
  • maintaining a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio to ensure disciplined fiscal management for future generations.
  • In addition to the two fiscal anchors, the government is committed to its target to catalyze $500 billion in new private investment over the next five years through smarter public spending and stronger capital investment.
• Budget 2025 proposes to catalyze investment by insurers and financial institutions by repealing the limits on borrowing and portfolio investments in the financial institutions statutes and replacing them with more flexible guidance from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.
• Budget 2025 also announces the government's intention to introduce legislation to regulate the issuance of fiat-backed stablecoins in Canada. This legislation will require issuers to maintain and manage adequate asset reserves, establish redemption policies, implement risk management frameworks, and protect the sensitive and personal information of Canadians. The legislation will also include national security safeguards to support the integrity of the framework so that fiat-backed stablecoins are safe and secure for consumers and businesses to use.
• Examples of Budget 2025 projects that will help build strong communities with improved local infrastructure can be found here.
• Under the provincial and territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund, provinces and territories will be required to cost match federal investments and ensure that supported municipalities reduce development charges and do not levy other taxes that hinder housing supply.

Related products

• Budget 2025: Canada Strong

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Media may contact: Kirstie Hudson, Press Secretary, Office of the Secretary of State (Seniors), [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]