You have to give Ottawa credit for creativity.
In Budget 2025, last year, it introduced a framework that separates day-to-day operating spending from capital investment. In Budget 2026, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne can point to a projected $11.2-billion operating surplus in 2027–28. In that very same year, Ottawa projects an overall deficit of $62.5 billion. Both figures come from the same budget. When Canadians hear that Ottawa is on track to balance its books, they deserve to hear both numbers.
