Tag Archives: Budget 2018

Although the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) spent $43 million less than expected in its 2018-19 fiscal year, they did manage to achieve their desired results. This page is for subscribers only. Already a subscriber? Log in. Fact-driven space news, columns, business, policy, technology and more. Support independent journalism. SUBSCRIBE TODAY

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) today published its departmental plan for the current budget year 2018-19, and while it is slightly higher at $349 million than last years planned spending for this year, it is a continuation of a downward budgetary spiral.

There’s a reason Budget 2018 didn’t include any significant funding or major new programs the space community wanted. The government says “more work needs to be done” on developing a long-term strategy. 

The Space Advisory Board has sent an email to stakeholders expressing their disappointed with Budget 2018 but says they will continue to “emphasize” the “need for urgent action to reverse the decline in Canada’s space capability” as they engage “with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and his officials.”

Surprising most people, the government unveiled $21.5 billion in new spending, more than anticipated for Budget 2018. This includes and significantly, $3.2 billion for science funding and a total of $6.4 billion for what the chapter in the budget calls Progress.

Tomorrow Finance Minister Bill Morneau will deliver the Liberal Party’s third budget since coming to power in October 2015. The space community awaits anxiously to see if this is the year a Canadian government steps up and supports the space program to a greater extent than it has.

In the last 17 years the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has left $802 million in planned spending unspent. In the last three years the CSA has underspent its budget by $201 million. In 2010 the Conservative government began the process of decreasing the CSA's base budget from $300 million to $260 million. The Liberal government has not restored the CSA's annual base budget funding cut. Add these points …