C–18 3 37 52-53 Elizabeth II 2004

An Act respecting equalization and authorizing the Minister of Finance to make certain payments related to health

An Act respecting equalization and authorizing the Minister of Finance to make certain payments related to health

Equalization and certain payments related to Health 2004 3 29 4 2004

SUMMARY

This enactment amends the Federal Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to authorize an additional two billion dollars for the provinces as part of the Canada Health and Social Transfer.

In addition, this enactment amends that Act, as well as the Federal Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Regulations, 1999 , to extend the equalization program for an additional fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2004 and ending on March 31, 2005.

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

R.S., c. F-8; 1995, c. 17, s. 45(1)

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL FISCAL ARRANGEMENTS ACT

1999, c. 11, s. 1

Section 3 of the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act is replaced by the following:

Fiscal equalization payments

Subject to this Act, the Minister may pay to a province for each fiscal year in the period beginning on April 1, 1999 and ending on March 31, 2005 a fiscal equalization payment not exceeding the amount computed in accordance with

section 4.

1999, c. 11, s. 2(4)

The portion of subsection 4(6) of the Act before paragraph (

a) is replaced by the following:

Minimum payment to province in certain cases

(6) Notwithstanding subsections (1) to (5) but subject to subsection (9), the fiscal equalization payment that may be paid to a province in respect of each fiscal year in the period beginning on April 1, 1999 and ending on March 31, 2005, if the province received a fiscal equalization payment in respect of the immediately preceding fiscal year, shall not be less than the greater of

1999, c. 26, s. 3(2)

The portion of subsection 13(2) of the Act before paragraph (

a) is replaced by the following:

Transfers established under paragraphs 14( c ), (

d) and ( i)

(2) Subject to this Part, a Canada Health and Social Transfer established under paragraphs 14( c ), (

d) and (

i) is to be provided to the provinces for the following purposes:

Section 14 of the Act is amended by striking out the word "and" at the end of paragraph ( g ), by adding the word "and" at the end of paragraph (

h) and by adding the following after paragraph ( h ):

(

i) a cash contribution of $2 billion to be paid to the trusts referred to in

section 16.4.

Section 15 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (6):

Provincial share of cash contribution established under paragraph 14( i )

(7) The portion of the cash contribution established under paragraph 14(

i) that may be paid to a trust established to provide funding for a province shall be determined by multiplying that cash contribution by the quotient obtained by dividing

(

a) the population of the province for the fiscal year

(

b) the total of the population of all provinces for the fiscal year.

The Act is amended by adding the following after

section 16.3:

Payments to trusts — Canada Health and Social Transfer supplement

16.4

The Minister may make direct payments totalling $2 billion to trusts established to provide the provinces with funding for the purposes referred to in subsection 13(2).

Section 17 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1):

Payments to a trust

(1.1) Despite subsection (1), any amount payable to a trust under this Part may be paid by the Minister out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund at the times and in the manner that the Minister considers appropriate.

SOR/2000-100

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL FISCAL ARRANGEMENTS REGULATIONS, 1999

The definition fiscal arrangements period in subsection 1(1) of the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Regulations, 1999 is replaced by the following:

fiscal arrangements period means the period beginning on April 1, 1999 and ending on March 31, 2005. ( période des accords fiscaux )