Federal government to deliver economic, fiscal update on Nov. 30, says Freeland

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the federal governmentwill deliver a long-awaited update on the health of federal finances on Nov. 30.

She made the announcement Monday in the House of Commons. The Liberals had promised an update this fall on the federal deficit a document that alsocould include the first steps toward a national child care program.

The government has not tabled a budget for this fiscal year, but in July delivered what it called a "fiscal snapshot" that estimated the deficit was heading for a record of $343.2 billion.

But that figure doesn't include added spending since July or themanypromises the government has made since.

Freeland said the government will continue to support Canadians through the pandemic and ensure the post-pandemic economy is "robust, inclusive and sustainable."

The Liberals alsohave said the update will provide the government's outlook for the economyand spending guidelines to keep deficits from spiralling out of control.

Observers are looking for a plan to managethe near-term impacts of the pandemic andalso the longer-term effects it will have on the country.

Goldy Hyder, president of the Business Council of Canada, said he wantsto see a coordinated approach to the pandemic in the document, along withhelp for the hardest-hit sectors of the economy: travel, tourism and hospitality.