The Government of Canada has laid out Budget 2025. Our review underscores a simple truth: Canada’s resilience and wellbeing are built in community. From housing and infrastructure to arts, culture, and equity, we appreciate that Budget 2025 recognizes local leadership and strong communities as the foundation of a “Canada Strong” agenda.
There are several thoughtful overviews of Budget 2025 available (including here, here, and here). Rather than echo them, we’re focusing on what Budget 2025 means on the ground for communities and for a network of community foundations that support a critical piece of community infrastructure: the charitable and nonprofit sector.
What We’re Watching in Budget 2025
We welcome commitments to local culture, housing, infrastructure, and gender equity that align with community priorities.
- On housing: The creation of Build Canada Homes and new investments to improve affordability, expand non-market housing, and support people who are at risk of homelessness reflect approaches long championed by community foundations —combining place-based knowledge, innovative financing, and wrap-around supports.
- On community infrastructure: The new Build Communities Strong Fund echoes community foundation priorities, and reflects their track record of investing in community hubs, recreation centres, and other spaces that connect communities, enhance wellbeing, and strengthen belonging.
- On culture and identity: New federal investments in locally rooted arts and heritage initiatives align with the community foundation network’s belief that culture connects people, sustains identity, and strengthens civic life.
- On gender equality: Renewed investment in Women and Gender Equality Canada highlights the importance of sustained support for women, girls, and gender-diverse people. Community foundations share this commitment to a future grounded in justice and gender equality.
Investments highlighted in Budget 2025 can play a critical role in strengthening community resilience and wellbeing. At the same time, those investments are most effective when informed by local context. Community foundations offer that bridge. With deep local relationships and experience in community-based financing, convening, data, and partnership development, community foundations connect national priorities to local realities—improving coordination, increasing leverage, and ensuring resources are deployed efficiently and equitably.
Looking Ahead: Ready to Partner for Impact
Budget 2025 sets direction; delivery will determine results. As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, partnering with community foundations and the charitable sector helps federal dollars move faster, reach more diverse communities, and leverage local data and capital for greater impact. For a sector that keeps food banks open and arts stages lit; that underwrites mental-health supports, youth programs, and safe spaces; and that drives community-led solutions to pressing challenges, Budget 2025 can go further.
As implementation proceeds, CFC and community foundations stand ready to translate policy into measurable outcomes—informing program design, delivering investments through trusted local relationships, and aligning public and philanthropic dollars toward shared results. We look forward to partnering with government, Indigenous organizations, and local leaders to deliver a stronger Canada built on strong communities.
