The national early childhood education and daycare program introduced by the Liberals needs to be reformed and expanded. Investments in this sector have been shown to generate a strong return on investment – up to $6 return for every dollar invested. Affordable, high quality early childhood education makes it easier for parents to return to work, to have more children if they so choose, and helps ensure Canadian kids have the best start in life: research is clear that the early years are critical for acquiring essential skills and habits.

The existing program has created unnecessary roadblocks by insisting on quotas for not-for-profit daycare centres; this fails to recognize that many centres are very small businesses serving small communities, and creating a board of directors and complex management structures excludes many centres and creates obstacles for others.

The CFP will allow daycares who register as social enterprises to be eligible for federal funding, a category created by the Liberals to include businesses that have delivering a social good as their main goal: and what could be more of a social good than offering our young people the right start? This will reduce bureaucracy and allow centre operators to focus their attention where it should be: on the children in their care.

The CFP proposes a national Early Childhood Education summit, to push for higher standards across the country and to learn what the provinces and territories need to make sure that the goal of national, affordable childcare is delivered by 2028.

"Protect and strengthen $10-a-day Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) system to create 100,000 new spaces by 2031. This will increase the supply of not-for-profit and public early learning and child care, getting more families off wait lists, and saving families money. It will also create 35,000 jobs for early learning and child care workers." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"Ensure ELCC providers have good wages, which is critical to keeping child care centres staffed. We will work with provinces and territories so that workers have predictable wage increases and investments in pensions and benefits programs." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"Require provinces, territories, and municipalities to expand child care in public infrastructure wherever possible, including in schools and community centres, and in community infrastructure that receives federal financing, so families can get child care close to home." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"Link child care with housing development on sites that receive federal financing or affordable housing funds. When child care is considered from the start of the development process, it ensures spaces grow alongside communities, saving time and money, and giving more children and families access, earlier." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"Make the National School Food Program permanent. The program is a direct investment in the middle class, making life a little easier for working families especially as they try to keep up with inflation. It is also a safety net for children who don’t always have enough to eat at home. Last year, this program was introduced with a goal of reaching 400,000 children. In less than ten months, agreements were reached with all provinces and territories to reach over 500,000 kids, exceeding targets and helping more families. Conservatives voted against this program. No child should go hungry. So, we will make this program permanent. And we will prioritize Canadian-made food as much as possible." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"Amend the mandates of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency to ensure they consider food security and the cost of food in all their regulatory decisions without compromising on health and safety. Currently, these important agencies only look at their respective mandates through a health and safety lens." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-21

"We will introduce emergency price caps on basic food items—like pasta, frozen vegetables, and infant formula—to keep costs of food down. These items have seen some of the steepest increases since 2020: cooking oil is up 75 per cent, pasta is up 43 per cent, and infant formula—an essential for so many parents—is up 30 per cent and still climbing.

Price regulations are already in place for a number of sectors of Canada’s economy, like electricity, natural gas and certain medicines. And they have been used in other jurisdictions to tackle food price inflation. We would attempt to negotiate this cap but if big grocery chains refuse, we would act by passing the appropriate legislation.

To enforce this cap, we will put in place a mandatory Grocery Code of Conduct."

— ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will also strengthen the Competition Bureau to act as a grocery price watchdog with the power to impose serious penalties on those who don’t comply. These powers will extend to price gouging, price surging, price fixing and shrinkflation." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"Our mandatory Grocery Code of Conduct would help level the playing field in the grocery industry." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We would establish a National Food Cooperative Strategy aimed at boosting independent small- and medium-sized grocery stores." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"And we would fix Nutrition North, to make sure the subsidy goes straight to people, and not to corporations." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will also lower costs by at least half for passengers on the following routes:

1. The Northumberland Ferries, while commiting to the long-term viability of the two-ferry service;
2. The Marine Atlantic ferry routes between Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, North Sydney, Nova Scotia, and between Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador and North Sydney, Nova Scotia; and,
3. The Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien ferry in cooperation with the Government of Quebec.

We will also reduce fares for those using these routes to transport goods. Significantly reducing the costs associated with the Confederation Bridge and these ferry services will make it easier to trade between provinces, unite Canada, and build one Canadian economy."

— liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-21

"Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman announced today that a Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre will scrap the tolls on the Confederation Bridge to save residents and businesses over $50 every time they travel to the mainland." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"This $50 million commitment will cover the operating costs for the Confederation Bridge which is currently paid for with tolls. It will end the unfair tax that Islanders have to pay just to leave their own province, keeping more of their money in their pockets." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"Conservatives will also immediately conduct a review of federal support for the Wood Islands-Caribou ferry." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

1. Continue targeted federal investments and intergovernmental coordination to increase housing supply nationwide.
2. Prioritize rapid-build technologies such as modular housing, beginning on federal lands.

1. Reinstate the federal government’s role in directly funding non-profit, co-operative, and low-income housing through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
2. Launch a federally funded land acquisition program for affordable housing. This temporary program will:
3. Help rebalance the housing market
4. Fully fund land purchases for eligible housing developments
5. Require a 99-year covenant ensuring land and buildings cannot be sold or repurposed
6. Eligible projects include: Low-income housing, Co-operative housing, Non-profit seniors’ residences, especially in areas outside major urban centres

Removing land costs will significantly reduce mortgage burdens and allow for truly affordable rents, especially for low-income Canadians often left out of “affordable housing” schemes.

1. Tackle housing shortages under federal control, including military housing.
2. Convert underused federal office buildings into family-friendly, rental housing using innovative construction methods.

Create dedicated federal immigration pathways for skilled tradespeople and construction workers—both temporary and permanent—to meet growing labor demands and avoid bottlenecks in the housing sector.

1. Fund large-scale pilot projects with post-secondary institutions, the private sector, and provinces or territories to test and scale up technologies that lower construction costs and speed up delivery.
2. Promote modern, efficient construction methods across all new federal housing initiatives.

"catalyzing the housing industry by providing over $25 billion in financing to innovative prefabricated home builders in Canada, including those using Canadian technologies and resources like mass timber and softwood lumber, to build faster, smarter, more affordably, and more sustainably;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"BCH will also catalyze the housing industry and create higher-paying jobs by providing $25 billion in debt financing and $1 billion in equity financing to innovative Canadian prefabricated home builders. Prefabricated and modular housing can reduce construction times by up to 50 per cent, costs by up to 20 per cent, and emissions by up to 22 per cent compared to traditional construction methods." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-16

"cutting municipal development charges in half for multi-unit residential housing while working with provinces and territories to keep municipalities whole;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"We will cut municipal development charges in half for multi-unit residential housing and work with provinces and territories to make up the lost revenue for municipalities for a period of five years. For a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto, the cost savings from this measure would be approximately $40,000." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"publicly report on municipalities’ progress to speed up permitting and approval timelines and implement other commitments under the Housing Accelerator Fund;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"leverage pre-approved, standardized housing designs across all public lands and encourage its adoption as-of-right across the country;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"We will replace the expiring Housing Accelerator Fund with a permanent $16 billion national housing strategy made up of the new Canadian Homes Transfer and the Communities First Fund." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"The Canadian Homes Transfer will reward cities that build quickly, allow more townhomes and apartments, and prioritize homes near transit." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"The Communities First Fund will support provinces in building the infrastructure needed for growth – like water, transit, and public services." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"Conservatives will also incentivize municipalities to free up land, speed up permits and cut development charges to build 15% more homes each year." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"We’ll start by firing the gatekeepers who block housing construction instead of giving them massive bonuses. A Conservative government will require cities to free up land, speed up permits and cut development charges to build 15 percent more homes each year. If they miss their target, their federal funding will be withheld, equal to how much they miss their target by.

Going forward, this target will compound on top of the previous year’s 15% target. Cities that fail to meet their targets will be required to build even more homes the following year while those who get homes built will be rewarded with a bonus based on how much they exceed the target. Municipalities will also be required to pre-approve building permits for high-density housing around transit stations, and will not receive federal funding for transit until there are keys-in-doors." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"For every dollar of relief a municipality offers in development charges, a Conservative government will reimburse 50%, up to a maximum of $50,000 in savings for new homebuyers." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"Municipalities will also be required to pre-approve building permits for high-density housing around transit stations, and will not receive federal funding for transit until there are keys-in-doors." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"We’ll also end federal delays by cutting the bonuses, salaries and, if needed, firing the gatekeepers at the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation if they fail to approve housing applications in 60 days or less." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"With the cost of living soaring and energy bills eating into household budgets, we will make it more affordable for Canadians to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A major home retrofit program will deliver free energy-saving upgrades to 2.3 million low-income households, and offer grants and low-interest loans to 1 million more. This could include the installation of heat pumps, insulation and other energy efficiency upgrades. It is estimated that in some areas, such upgrades could save a household as much as $4,500 a year." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"This measure will be entirely financed by eliminating public subsidies for oil and gas companies, saving $18 billion over ten years." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

1. Continue targeted federal investments and intergovernmental coordination to increase housing supply nationwide.
2. Prioritize rapid-build technologies such as modular housing, beginning on federal lands.

1. Reinstate the federal government’s role in directly funding non-profit, co-operative, and low-income housing through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
2. Launch a federally funded land acquisition program for affordable housing. This temporary program will:
3. Help rebalance the housing market
4. Fully fund land purchases for eligible housing developments
5. Require a 99-year covenant ensuring land and buildings cannot be sold or repurposed
6. Eligible projects include: Low-income housing, Co-operative housing, Non-profit seniors’ residences, especially in areas outside major urban centres

Removing land costs will significantly reduce mortgage burdens and allow for truly affordable rents, especially for low-income Canadians often left out of “affordable housing” schemes.

1. Tackle housing shortages under federal control, including military housing.
2. Convert underused federal office buildings into family-friendly, rental housing using innovative construction methods.

Create dedicated federal immigration pathways for skilled tradespeople and construction workers—both temporary and permanent—to meet growing labor demands and avoid bottlenecks in the housing sector.

1. Fund large-scale pilot projects with post-secondary institutions, the private sector, and provinces or territories to test and scale up technologies that lower construction costs and speed up delivery.
2. Promote modern, efficient construction methods across all new federal housing initiatives.

"We will also help more people buy their first homes, by unlocking the financial power of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to offer low-interest public-backed mortgages." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"A Poilievre government would fund this homebuyers’ tax cut by eliminating $8 billion of the Liberals’ bureaucratic housing schemes that have only driven up housing prices. Conservatives will also incentivize municipalities to free up land, speed up permits and cut development charges to build 15% more homes each year." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

Despite billions in federal funding, Canada faces rising homelessness, worsened by inflated home prices and underperforming programs like Reaching Home.

The CFP will:

1. Eliminate homelessness caused by housing market failure through non-market housing options and Housing First programs
2. Tackle mental health and addiction as core drivers of chronic homelessness
3. Support expert-led, evidence-based reintegration strategies to help people transition from homelessness to stable housing and community life

We will assess and reform existing federal programs to ensure accountability and effectiveness in delivering long-term results.

"We will immediately develop homelessness reduction targets with every province and territory to inform Housing First investments, improve access to treatment, and end encampments community by community." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"Invest in deeply affordable housing, supportive housing, and shelters in recognition of the link between housing and mental health outcomes. We will do this through $6 billion invested in the new Build Canada Homes (BCH) which will build and acquire housing. This investment builds on the Rapid Housing Initiative which supported 15,000 homes for our most vulnerable, including projects like Dunn House in Toronto, Canada’s first-ever social medicine supportive housing initiative. We will continue to work with partners to deliver projects that recognize the link between housing and health outcomes." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"We will also establish a Housing Insecurity Prevention Benefit to help 50,000 people in critical need find homes. This program will be piloted and delivered through existing Reaching Home community entities, ensuring a community-based approach to helping Canadians experiencing chronic homelessness." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will double the Canada Disability Benefit, providing individuals up to an additional $2400 a year." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"And we will take a tangible step towards a guaranteed livable income by raising the Guaranteed Income Supplement to lift all seniors out of poverty." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

1. Reinstate the federal government’s role in directly funding non-profit, co-operative, and low-income housing through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
2. Launch a federally funded land acquisition program for affordable housing. This temporary program will:
3. Help rebalance the housing market
4. Fully fund land purchases for eligible housing developments
5. Require a 99-year covenant ensuring land and buildings cannot be sold or repurposed
6. Eligible projects include: Low-income housing, Co-operative housing, Non-profit seniors’ residences, especially in areas outside major urban centres

Removing land costs will significantly reduce mortgage burdens and allow for truly affordable rents, especially for low-income Canadians often left out of “affordable housing” schemes.

1. Tackle housing shortages under federal control, including military housing.
2. Convert underused federal office buildings into family-friendly, rental housing using innovative construction methods.

1. Continue targeted federal investments and intergovernmental coordination to increase housing supply nationwide.
2. Prioritize rapid-build technologies such as modular housing, beginning on federal lands.

"Invest in deeply affordable housing, supportive housing, and shelters in recognition of the link between housing and mental health outcomes. We will do this through $6 billion invested in the new Build Canada Homes (BCH) which will build and acquire housing. This investment builds on the Rapid Housing Initiative which supported 15,000 homes for our most vulnerable, including projects like Dunn House in Toronto, Canada’s first-ever social medicine supportive housing initiative. We will continue to work with partners to deliver projects that recognize the link between housing and health outcomes." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

"BCH will also provide $10 billion in low-cost financing and capital to affordable home builders. $4 billion will go towards long-term fixed-rate financing for affordable housing builders. $6 billion will go towards rapidly building deeply affordable housing, supportive housing, Indigenous housing, and shelters. BCH will direct $2 billion of this amount to build new student and seniors housing, in partnership with provinces and territories. We will immediately develop homelessness reduction targets with every province and territory to inform Housing First investments, improve access to treatment, and end encampments community by community." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"The Canadian Homes Transfer will reward cities that build quickly, allow more townhomes and apartments, and prioritize homes near transit. This will help us reach a target of 20 percent non-market housing in every neighbourhood." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will reintroduce a tax incentive which, when originally introduced in the 1970s, spurred tens of thousands of rental housing across the country. Known as the Multiple Unit Rental Building (MURB) cost allowance, this policy helped produce nearly 200,000 units in seven years (1974-81)." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"We will facilitate the conversion of existing structures into affordable housing units by reducing the tax liability for private owners of multi-purpose rental when they sell their building to a non-profit operator, land trust, or non-profit acquisition fund - so long as the proceeds are reinvested in building new purpose-built rental housing." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"We will fight soaring rents by requiring strong tenant protection measures from other levels of government as a condition for accessing federal housing funding. These measures include rent control, as well as prohibitions on practices such as renovictions, demovictions and other predatory landlord practices aimed at pushing people out of their homes and driving up rents." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will ban predatory financial landlords from buying any existing purpose-built rental apartments and any of Canada’s existing 650,000 social housing units. Legitimate private landlords and property managers would not be impacted. This measure is aimed at preventing corporate entities like REITs, Hedge Funds, and private equity funds from purchasing affordable housing. These entities do not function like landlords, instead their function is to either liquidate and redevelop the real estate, maximize revenues through poor maintenance leading to renoviction and increasing rents, and generally financialize these properties as assets." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will also cut off handouts – including low-interest federal loans, preferential tax treatment and mortgage loan insurance – for big corporate landlords who gouge their tenants." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"And we will boost the Rental Protection Fund by providing an additional $2 billion to help non-profits such as tenant associations and housing co-ops purchase thousands of affordable apartments, to keep them affordable when they come onto the market." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

The CFP believes that a modern, fair, and efficient tax system is essential to individual prosperity, business investment, and national unity. Canada’s tax code has grown overly complex, placing an unnecessary burden on citizens, families, and businesses alike. Despite calls for reform going back over 60 years—including the recommendations of the Carter Commission—governments have failed to act.

The CFP calls for real tax reform that works for the 21st century.

Royal Commission on Tax Reform

1. The CFP recommends establishing a Royal Commission to reform and simplify the Canadian tax system.
2. The Commission should deliver its recommendations within 18 months, with legislation to be introduced and implemented by the third year.

Reform Based on Core Principles

The Commission’s work will be guided by the following principles:

1. Progressive taxation: Those with greater ability to pay should contribute a fairer share.
2. Tax fairness and integrity: Ensure all individuals and businesses pay what they owe—close all loopholes.
3. Competitiveness: Make Canada a globally attractive destination for business and investment.
4. Simplicity and transparency: Cut red tape and reduce the burden on taxpayers.

"This middle-class tax cut will save two-income families up to $825 a year, by reducing the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket by 1 percentage point. More than 22 million Canadians will benefit directly from this tax cut, and middle- and low-income Canadians will benefit the most." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"Last fall, the Liberal government put in place a temporary GST holiday on certain goods, in recognition of the cost of living crisis facing families. The Liberals rejected our proposal that the measure be extended, while the Conservatives opposed it altogether.

But families are still facing rising prices – and Donald Trump’s trade war is driving prices even higher. That’s why we would permanently remove the GST from the essentials that every family needs. This includes grocery store meals, diapers and strollers, and monthly cell, internet and home heating bills. We estimate this measure will save a family of four $448 per year." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"We will raise the basic personal amount to $19,500 to allow workers to earn more before starting to pay taxes. This would put $505 back in the pockets of those earning between $19,500 and $177,882. We will also lower the high-income BPA to best target these changes to lower-income earners." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"Poilievre announced he will cut income tax by 15%, dropping the tax rate on the lowest income tax bracket from 15% to 12.75%, meaning the average Canadian worker earning $57,000 will save $900, with two income families saving $1,800 a year. It’s time to let Canadians keep more of what they earn." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"No more write-offs of luxury corporate jets. Corporations will be able to write off the equivalent of a commercial flight. Charter flights needed to get workers to remote job sites will not be impacted by this change." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"Expand the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction to ensure workers who travel more than 120 km from their home to a job site can deduct more of their expenses, and commit to significantly increasing the per-year tax deduction limit." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"Uphold the Apprenticeship Service program to support employers in hiring new apprentices in Red Seal trades, with up to $10,000 for eligible employers for each new apprentice hired;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"To deliver on this [housing] plan, we will train over 100,000 skilled workers, including newcomers and those affected by Donald Trump’s reckless trade war." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"New Democrats are committed to our Build Canadian, Buy Canadian Plan to boost our domestic economy and create a stronger and more independent economy. As part of this plan we would develop sector-specific industrial strategies for energy, mining, manufacturing, buildings and transportation, with workers at the table every step along the way, with the goal of accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition and attracting new investment in communities across the country. And we would provide additional supports to train more workers for tomorrow’s green economy. Our goal will be to support good, new jobs in clean industries, and support the decarbonization of essential industries like steelmaking, cement-making, transportation and others." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

"Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced today that a new Conservative government will allow travelling trades workers to write off the full cost of food, transport and accommodation needed to go from one job to another while ending write-offs for luxury corporate jets that are not needed to do business." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

"Today, Conservatives announced that they would deliver fairness for the skilled trades by requiring banks to recognize apprenticeships for Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs). Financial institutions that offer RESPs will be required to recognize all skilled trades and apprenticeship programs as eligible RESP programs, ensuring that all related expenses qualify for Education Assistance Payments." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17