Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget tabled on Nov. 4 forecasts $2.7 billion in cuts to foreign aid over the next four years.
The budget predicts $561 million in cost reductions next fiscal year for Global Affairs Canada (GAC), rising to $1.1 billion per year of projected savings within two years, saying that Canada’s foreign aid spending will return to pre-COVID levels and focus on “countries that need it the most.”
GAC’s budget for this fiscal year is an estimated $8.1 billion.
The government says it’s returning its funding allocation closer to pre-pandemic levels.
“There will be reductions in development funding to global health programming, where Canada’s contribution has grown disproportionately relative to other similar economies,” the budget reads. “Some bilateral development programs will also be refined and adjusted.”…