Canada to Reveal Huge COVID-19 Deficit, Make ‘Down Payment’ on National Childcare

Canada to Reveal Huge COVID-19 Deficit, Make ‘Down Payment’ on National Childcare
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Oct. 20, 2020. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
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OTTAWA—Canada next week will reveal the breadth of the emergency spending it has made during the pandemic and lay the groundwork for future stimulus and social measures, like a national childcare program, government sources told Reuters.

Canada did not release a budget for this fiscal year, which began in April, because of the economic uncertainty created by COVID-19, but in July projected a $343.2 billion deficit, the largest since World War II.