The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, met virtually with provincial and territorial finance ministers yesterday. The Deputy Prime Minister chaired this call which was the twelfth call. The Deputy Prime Minister began by noting the growing momentum of vaccination rollouts across the country and reassuring provinces and territories that the federal government is ready to assist them in any way it can.
The Deputy Prime Minister recognized that getting people vaccinated is critical to achieving a strong, job-creating recovery. The Deputy Prime Minister brought up the Staff Report for the 2021 Article IV Consultation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this week, which stated that Canada’s “decisive actions and unprecedented fiscal support” are helping to protect jobs while supporting Canadians and businesses. Finance Ministers discussed how the pandemic is still wreaking havoc on certain industries and how federal assistance has been critical to their economies’ survival, including the wage subsidy’s role in keeping many small businesses open. Ministers discussed how their vaccination programs are progressing and how they are beginning to plan for the reopening of their economies with determination and optimism. Finally, the Ministers agreed to keep working together and communicating closely.
Source: Canada.ca
