Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new $1.2 billion federal investment in ocean conservation and a national ocean strategy while in Vancouver, pledging money for ocean monitoring, maritime safety, and marine ecosystem protection. At the same time the Star reports Carney’s economic update and 2025 budget contain deep rollbacks to health and social supports: the national pharmacare rollout has no new funding and appears to be ending despite roughly $600 million left in the pot and only four provinces and one territory having signed deals. The government will not renew the $1.2 billion in annual transfers that supported mental health, addiction, and home and community care, nor the $600 million in annual long-term-care transfers. The $500 million annual fund for access to expensive drugs for rare diseases likely will not extend beyond next March, and the Canada Health Transfer growth rate is set to slow to three percent after 2028. Child care funding is also pared back: the $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund will sunset next year while Canada-wide early learning and child care transfers will continue at the previous negotiated level with no increase. The ocean pledge arrives days ahead of an expected decision on a West Coast pipeline, tying the conservation announcement to ongoing energy and coastal policy debates.
