Highlights From Finance Minister Flaherty’s 2014 Federal Budget

 Hey everyone! Courtesy of the Canadian Press here are some highlights from Canada’s 2014 budget announcement by Jim Flaherty! I bolded some areas of interest at the civilian level!

Not listed: Commitment to 5mbps internet speeds across Canada. Good news for all you members of rural Canada and people with lower end internet packages!

Some highlights from Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s 2014 federal budget

OTTAWA – Some highlights of the federal budget delivered Tuesday by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty:

— The budget is close to balance, with a $2.9-billion deficit and a $3-billion contingency fund.

— Flaherty forecasts revenues of $276.3 billion and expenditures of $279.2 billion.

— The government makes clear it will balance the budget next year by cutting program spending and reining in public service compensation costs.

— The budget proposes to make retired federal public servants pay half the costs of their health-care plan, up from a quarter now. This would raise annual payments for a retired individual to $550 from $261.