Canada's Budget Estimates Breakdown 26-27

DEFICIT

How federal spending affects every working Canadian

Total Spending

$505.8B

Interest Payments

$48.6B

Most Expensive Program

Old Age Security Payments (R.S.C., 1985, c. O-9)

Budget at a Glance

Organizations

133

Programs

242

Avg. per Org

$3.80B

Total

$505.77B

Spending Growth (last 5 years)
Planned Budget vs. Actual Spending (Billions)
Top Organizations (billions)
Top Programs (billions)

Budget Explorer

Select an organization to see more detailed look into historical estimates, program costs, and more.

Fiscal Reality

Spending per Canadian

$12,276

Interest per Canadian

$1,179/year

Share of spending that is interest payments on our debt

9.6%

Spending Per Canadian

Ottawa spends about $12,276 per person. This includes health, defense, transfers, and more.

Interest Payments

$48.6B annually goes to bond holders, paying off our loans. This money is not available for healthcare or education or anything else. That’s ~$1,179 per Canadian each year. ✅ Lower than last year.

Old Age Security (OAS)

The full OAS program (OAS, GIS, Allowances) costs $88.8B — about 17.6% of federal spending. That is $1 for every $6 spent. ⚠️ Growing faster than inflation.

Defence Obligations (NATO)

Canada spends $50.7B on defence — meeting 113.1% of its NATO commitment. ✅ Commitment met or exceeded.

Data Sources: Government of Canada Main Estimates 2026-27 | Public Accounts | Parliamentary Budget Officer | View Official Data