[Advisors] Budget 2023

[Garth Graham]

Budget 2023. https://www.budget.canada.ca/2023/pdf/budget-2023-en.pdf

It has always been my practise to search the Federal Budget with key words that might have a bearing on TC’s concerns.  I am unhappy to record that this 2023 budget contains nothing that targets community networking specifically. My search terms were: BROADBAND; INTERNET; and DIGITAL.  Because I think that the use of those words provides the flavour of the Federal Government’s focus and intentions, I’m sharing what I found….

BROADBAND – only used once
·      Economic Overview …..Communities; By investing in infrastructure, more affordable housing, public transit, and BROADBAND. P.3.

·      Delivering Canada’s Infrastructure Funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) …  the Eastern Ontario Regional Network Cellular Gap Project [Fed didn’t mention broadband but this project this has a BROADBAND component – GG] p.105

INTERNET – only used once
Cracking Down on Junk Fees; Unexpected, hidden, and additional fees add up quickly. From INTERNET overage charges, to roaming fees, to event fees, Canadians deal with junk fees every day. P.35

DIGITAL – the word “digital” is used often enough to indicate that our Government has a sort of defensive awareness we are all in a digital economy.

·      Investing in Better Health Care Data …work with provinces and territories to develop new health data indicators, support the creation of a Centre of Excellence on health worker data, advance DIGITAL health tools and an interoperability roadmap, and support provincial and territorial efforts to use data to improve the safety and quality of health care. P.56

·      A Strong Foundation $3.8 billion for Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy, which will help make Canada a global supplier of choice for the critical minerals that are the bedrock of clean and DIGITAL technologies; p.69

·      Canada’s Potential in Critical Minerals. As a global leader in mining, Canada is in a prime position to provide a stable resource base for critical minerals that are central to major global industries such as clean technology, auto manufacturing, health care, aerospace, and the DIGITAL economy. p. 83

·      Investing in Skills for a Clean Economy: Helping Canadians at all skill levels improve their foundational and transferable skills, like problem solving and DIGITAL skills, p.95.

·      Protecting Federally Regulated Gig Workers. When workers are engaged in a typical employer-employee relationship, but are misclassified as something other than employees, they miss out on the same labour rights, protections, and entitlements as traditional employees. For those in the gig economy, such as those who rely on an app or DIGITAL platform for their source of work, this can have a real impact on the stability and security of their livelihoods. P. 100

·      Attracting High-Tech Investment to Canada. In recent months, Canada has attracted several new DIGITAL and high-tech projects that will support our innovative economy, including: ü Nokia: a $340 million project that will strengthen Canada’s position as a leader in 5G and digital innovation; ü Xanadu Quantum Technologies: a $178 million project that will support Canada’s leadership in quantum computing; ü Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation: a $121 million project that will boost Canada’s leadership in the global Artificial Intelligence market; and, ü EXFO: a $77 million project to create a 5G Centre of Excellence that aims to develop one of the world’s first Artificial Intelligence-based automated network solutions. p. 108

·      Defence Policy Update; $69 million ongoing to improve the DIGITAL systems of the Canadian Armed Forces. P.163

·      Protecting Canadians from the Risks of Crypto-Assets targeted consultations on crypto-assets as part of the review on the DIGITALization of money announced in Budget 2022. P.176

·      International Tax Reform.  Pillar One (Reallocation of Taxing Rights). Pillar One will ensure that the largest and most profitable global corporations, including large DIGITAL corporations, pay their fair share of tax in the jurisdictions where their users and customers are located p. 189

GG