Finance Minister François Philippe Champagne says moving the federal budget to the fall will “modernize” Ottawa’s fiscal cycle. Translation: starting this year, the main budget will land in November, with a shorter spring update replacing the former fall economic statement. Champagne claims this will increase budgeting predictability for the provinces, align with the construction season, and enable faster project starts.

Oh, and Ottawa’s also going to switch to a two-ledger accounting system, one for capital outlays and one for operations. Capital investments will comprise six categories: transfers, capital-focused corporate income tax incentives, amortization of federal capital, private sector R and D, “support to unlock large-scale private sector capital investment,” and boosts to hou

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