September 2 2025
The National Union of Public and General Employees is calling on the federal government to reject austerity, resist pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, and instead use the 2025 Federal Budget to strengthen public services, invest in workers, and tackle inequality.
Trump’s escalating tariff threats have already cost tens of thousands of Canadian jobs, with 2.4 million more at risk according to the Canadian Labour Congress. At the same time, Canadians are facing skyrocketing housing costs, rising food prices, and underfunded public services.
“Canadians cannot afford cuts to the services they rely on,” said Bert Blundon, President of NUPGE. “This budget must be about protecting jobs, rebuilding our economy, and making life more affordable, not following Trump’s agenda of division and deregulation.”
NUPGE also warns that cuts to women’s programs, 2SLGBTQIA+ supports, and to other equity initiatives risk deepening inequality at a time when rights are under attack globally.
“This is a moment for leadership and ambition,” added Blundon. “Canada must not weaken public services, nor should we abandon our commitments to equity, climate action, and reconciliation in order to satisfy Trump’s demands. Budget 2025 must be about building a fairer, stronger Canada that works for everyone.”
Key Priorities in NUPGE’s Submission to Budget 2025:
- Health Care: A pan-Canadian health human resources strategy, immediate emergency funds for worker retention, and an increase to the Canada Health Transfer to cover 35% of costs immediately, with a path to 50%. Expansion of public health care to include pharmacare, dental, long-term care, and mental health.
- Post-Secondary Education: Emergency funding to protect jobs and programs, alongside the creation of a Canada Education Transfer to restore stable federal funding.
- Child Care: Increase the Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund by $15 billion over the next five years, ensuring public funding goes towards expanding non-profit and publicly owned and operated child care. Allocate an additional $10 billion to expanding the child care workforce.
- Housing: A national housing strategy focused on building affordable, non-market housing, public, co-op, and supportive housing.
- Justice for Indigenous Peoples: Immediate resources to end long-term drinking water advisories, fund Indigenous-led solutions, and implement the Calls to Action and Calls for Justice.
- Tax Fairness: Closing loopholes, introducing a wealth tax, taxing excessive profits, and reinstating the digital services tax to ensure corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.
- Artificial Intelligence: Federal funding must prioritize AI systems that strengthen public institutions and benefit Canadians, with strict public control and accountability for publicly funded services.
- Military Spending: Any proposed increases must be judged on whether they make Canada safer—not on whether they appease the Trump administration.
- Climate Action: Major investment in a Just Transition, Indigenous-led climate solutions, and recognition of wildland firefighters as frontline public safety workers.
- Social Safety Net: Reform Employment Insurance with universal access and livable benefits, and increase the Canada Disability Benefit to ensure people with disabilities can live in dignity.
Read NUPGE’s full federal budget submission here.