Treasury Board President Anita Anand says the federal government will begin sharing the results of its spending review next month, with final calculations to be out on March 1. Anand looks on during a press conference in the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – Treasury Board President Anita Anand says the federal government will begin sharing the results of its spending review next month, with final calculations coming out at the beginning of March.
The Liberals promised in the spring budget to reduce overall government spending by $14.1 billion from 2023 to 2028, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.
The Liberals pledged to reduce discretionary spending on government consulting, professional services and travel by 15 per cent or $7.1 billion over five years.
The public service is also supposed to find $7 billion in savings over four years on operations and transfer payments.
Anand said at a news conference that ministers were tasked to find excess spending in their departments and to re-examine things like outsourcing and executive travel.
Anand said those savings will be used to to spend on government priorities, such as the clean economy, affordable housing and supports for the middle class.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2023.
