Budget 2026: Canada’s Global Ambitions Need Sustained International Assistance Investment

November 5th, 2026, Ottawa—Budget 2026 is largely silent on issues of international development cooperation and humanitarian action, leaving in place the $2.7 billion cuts over four years announced in 2025.

This highlights the critical importance of Canada’s forthcoming foreign policy, which presents an opportunity to affirm international development cooperation as essential to strengthening Canada’s sovereignty, resilience and international partnerships in an increasingly uncertain world. Cooperation Canada and its members look forward to working with the government to ensure that development cooperation is central to advancing Canada’s interests, and building a more peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

At less than one-third of one per cent of our national income, international assistance is a modest but vital investment. It saves lives, advances human rights and gender equality, tackles climate change, and supports communities on the front lines of poverty and crisis. It also builds the diverse partnerships, trust and stability that underpin Canada’s own security and prosperity.

The stakes are high. From conflict and displacement in Sudan to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, people face devastating threats to their lives and livelihoods. As major donors scale back assistance, communities are losing access to essential services and opportunities to build more secure futures. These reductions put hard-won development gains at risk and weaken the capacity to prevent and respond to future crises.

International development cooperation addresses challenges that defence, diplomacy and economic policy alone cannot resolve. Investing in prevention and resilience saves lives, strengthens collective security and reduces the costs of future crises. At a time of growing global instability, Canada must draw on the full range of its tools of statecraft and match its international ambitions with sustained investment.

“Canada’s influence comes from showing up and following through. Our budget choices must match our international ambitions, and the government must be transparent about its funding commitments,” said Kate Higgins, Chief Executive Officer of Cooperation Canada. “As Canada redefines its place in the world, international development cooperation must be central to its foreign policy. We look forward to working with the government to ensure it has the recognition and resources needed to advance Canada’s interests, uphold human rights and build a more peaceful and prosperous world.”

Signatory Organizations

Acted Canada
Action Against Hunger
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
AidWatch Canada
Alberta Council for Global Cooperation
Alongside Hope
Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
Atlantic Council for International Cooperation
British Columbia Council for International Cooperation
CAMFED Canada
Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development (C4D)
Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Canadian Lutheran World Relief
Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases
CARE Canada
CECI
Children Believe
Climate Action Network Canada (CAN-Rac Canada)
Coady Institute
CODE
Cooperation Canada
Crossroads International
Cuso International
Development and Peace – Caritas Canada
Dignity Network Canada
Doctors of the World Canada
Equality Fund
Equitas
Farm Radio International
Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie
Humanitarian Coalition
Humanity & Inclusion Canada
iDE Canada
Inter Pares
International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR)
International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF)
Islamic Relief Canada
Kairos Canada
Kentro Christian Network
Kinvia
Lawyers Without Borders Canada
Manitoba Council for International Cooperation
MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates)
Mennonite Central Committee Canada
Mission inclusion
Northern Council for Global Cooperation
Nutrition International
ONE Campaign
Ontario Council for International Cooperation
Oxfam Canada
Oxfam-Québec
Partners In Health Canada
PEGASUS Institute
Plan International Canada
Presbyterian World Service & Development
Results Canada
Santé Monde
Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation
Save the Children
SeedChange
Socodevi
SUCO (Solidarité – Union – Coopération)
The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH)
The SecDev Foundation
Tostan Canada
Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada
UNICEF Canada
UPA Développement international
WaterAid Canada
World Accord-International Development Agency
World Renew
World Vision Canada
WUSC

Media Contact

Gabriel Karasz-Perriau, Senior Communications Manager
gkaraszperriau@cooperation.ca
(514) 945-0309