Question Period Note: Main Estimates 2025-26 (Government-wide)

What is included in the 2025-26 Main Estimates, which total $486.9 billion in budgetary spending, $222.9 billion in voted expenditures and $264.0 billion in forecast statutory expenditures?

• The 2025-26 Main Estimates includes important investments in priority areas, including the Canadian Armed Forces, the border, health care and housing.
• Throughout the year, the Government seeks Parliament’s approval and provides the public with information about proposed spending through the Estimates.
• The 2025–26 Main Estimates present a total of $486.9 billion in budgetary spending.
• The majority of this amount ($294.8B) is transfer payments, such as those to provinces and territories or individual Canadians.

($billions)
• Budgetary: Voted
o 2024-25 Main estimates: 191.6
o 2025-26 Main estimates: 222.9
• Budgetary: Statutory
o 2024-25 Main Estimates: 257.8
o 2025-26 Main Estimates: 264.0
• Total Budgetary
o 2024-25 Main Estimates: 449.2
o 2025-26 Main Estimates: 486.9
• Non-Budgetary: Voted
o 2024-25 Main Estimates: 0.2
o 2025-26 Main Estimates: 0.1
• Non-Budgetary: Statutory
o 2024-25 Main Estimates: 1.0
o 2025-26 Main Estimates: 1.1
• Total Non-budgetary
o 2024-25 Main Estimates: 1.2
o 2025-26 Main Estimates: 1.2

The 2025–26 Main Estimates present a total of $486.9 billion in budgetary spending, which reflects $222.9 billion to be voted and $264.0 billion in forecast statutory expenditures.
The majority of expenditures in the 2025–26 Main Estimates are transfer payments – payments made to other levels of government, other organizations and individuals. Transfer payments make up approximately 60.5% of expenditures or $294.8 billion. Operating and capital expenditures account for approximately 29.4% of expenditures or $143.1 billion, while public debt charges are approximately 10.1% of expenditures or $49.1 billion.
130 organizations present funding requirements in these Estimates. These five are seeking more than $10.0 billion in voted budgetary expenditures:
• the Department of National Defence ($33.9 billion);
• the Department of Indigenous Services ($25.2 billion);
• the Department of Employment and Social Development ($13.1 billion);
• the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs ($13.0 billion); and
• the Department of Health ($10.3 billion).
Voted expenditures cover an extraordinarily wide range of programs and activities, including the Canadian Forces, health services for First Nations, the Canada Dental Benefit, border services and immigration, veterans’ benefits, and support for housing.
The 2025–26 Main Estimates reflect updated forecasts published in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement. Significant changes in statutory budgetary spending from the 2024–25 Main Estimates include:
• increases in major transfer payments, most notably elderly benefits, the Canada Health Transfer and fiscal equalization;
• an increase in interest on unmatured debt;
• the new Canada Disability Benefit;
• a decrease in the Canada Carbon Rebate for individuals and small businesses.

Main Estimates are usually tabled on or by March 1. Due to prorogation and the general election, the 2025–26 Main Estimates were tabled at the beginning of the 45th Parliament, on May 27, 2025.

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