TORONTO
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne will deliver remarks on the government's economic priorities ahead of the 2026 federal budget in speeches in Toronto and Ottawa on Saturday.
He will participate in an armchair discussion hosted by the Canadian Club of Toronto, where he will highlight the government’s plan to build a stronger, more independent and resilient economy and make life more affordable for Canadians, according to the Department of Finance.
Later on Saturday, Champagne will similarly participate in a separate armchair discussion hosted by the Canadian Club of Ottawa, where he will speak to the government’s economic priorities and growth agenda.
The 2026 Federal Budget will be delivered in the House of Commons on November 5, 2026.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne described Budget 2026 with a focus on “attracting investment, advancing major projects, and creating good jobs across the country.”
Nationwide consultations took place over eight weeks this summer to discuss issues such as the impact of U.S. tariffs and trade uncertainty, strengthening Canada's economic sovereignty and competitiveness through a more competitive tax system, boosting investment and productivity, addressing housing and workforce challenges, and advancing innovation and digital transformation through artificial intelligence (AI).
According to a KPMG Canada survey of 346 business leaders, 87 per cent want the federal government to conduct a comprehensive review of Canada's tax system and 85 per cent feel Canada’s tax system should be simplified to reduce complexity.
Business leaders will be watching to see whether Budget 2026 advances meaningful tax reform to improve Canada’s investment climate and competitiveness.
The new Productivity Mega Deduction has been a welcome announcement and is expected to have an impact on investment decision-making, encouraging more businesses to make productivity-enhancing investments.
According to the KPMG survey, 51 per cent of business leaders say the Productivity Mega Deduction will encourage investment in new machinery, equipment, technology and capital projects.
Business leaders will also be watching how Budget 2026 responds to a more uncertain trade environment.
With the U.S. remaining Canada’s dominant trading partner, priorities include managing Canada-U.S. trade relations while advancing diversification, building more resilient supply chains and supporting strategic sectors such as defence, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing and energy.
According to the survey, 84 per cent of business leaders believe Canada is right to pursue a special partnership with the European Union and other stable trade partners, while 77 per cent say Canada was right to suspend trade talks with the U.S. and impose counter-tariffs.
Budget 2026 is expected to put a greater focus on accelerating nationally significant projects and turning available capital into long-term economic development.
Areas to watch include major project approvals and infrastructure across energy, trade corridors, ports, rail, electricity and critical minerals, as well as efforts to better align financing, procurement and industrial policy.
Budget 2026 will need to address the interconnected pressures of housing, affordability and workforce capacity and their broader implications for Canadian businesses.
Canadians and businesses will be watching for progress on scaling affordable housing through Build Canada Homes, measures to address labour market challenges and initiatives that strengthen skills development and workforce readiness.
This includes building the skills and organizational capabilities needed to support responsible AI adoption at scale.
According to the KPMG survey, 89 per cent of federal, provincial and municipal public servants say Canada should develop and deploy a comprehensive AI governance policy for both the public and private sectors.
The KPMG survey was conducted from September 22 to October 2, 2026, with respondents from companies of varying sizes and ownership structures.
This story was written by the e2gold.ca newsroom from reporting by Department of Finance Canada and KPMG International. Quotes are checked word for word against that reporting.