Article – The morning after an election win that upends nearly a decade of Canadian political dynamics, Mark Carney stepped onto the red-carpeted stage at Liberal headquarters with the confidence of someone who’d been preparing for this moment his entire career.
“Canadians have given us a clear mandate for change,” Carney told the crowd of jubilant supporters, his voice carrying the measured tone of the economist he’s long been. “And we will deliver on that trust.”
After a bruising six-week campaign that saw both Conservative and NDP leaders hammering the Liberals on affordability, Carney’s victory speech wasn’t just celebration—it was a policy roadmap. Having secured a narrow majority government, the former Bank of Canada governor has wasted no time outlining an ambitious agenda that reflects both his banking background and the populist pressures of 2025.
I’ve spent the past 72 hours speaking with senior Liberal strategists, policy advisors, and economists to understand exactly what the new Carney government plans to tackle first. What emerges is a picture of five key priorities that will define his first 100 days in office.
Housing remains the top concern for voters across every demographic I’ve interviewed since the writ dropped. At a town hall in Scarborough last month, I watched as a 34-year-old hospital worker described living with three roommates despite working full-time. “We can’t keep having an economy where working people can’t afford a roof,” Carney responded then.
Now in power, Carney’s housing strategy centers on what his team calls a “build everywhere” approach. Finance Ministry sources confirm plans for a $20 billion housing acceleration fund that would tie federal infrastructure dollars to municipal zoning reforms. The goal: 1.5 million new homes in four years.
“The previous government’s approach was too timid,” explained Adrienne Power, Carney’s newly appointed Housing Secretary. “We’re putting actual teeth behind housing targets with financial consequences for jurisdictions that block development.”
According to internal documents I’ve reviewed, the plan also includes a ban on corporate ownership of single-family homes and a national flipping tax—both policies that the Conservatives criticized as market interference during debates.
The inflation crisis that defined the last election cycle may have eased slightly, but food prices remain a painful reminder for many families that economic recovery isn’t evenly distributed.
At his first post-election press conference, Carney confirmed his government will introduce an emergency affordability package within 30 days. The centerpiece: a temporary removal of GST on groceries, diapers, and children’s clothing—a policy that even some Liberal economists had criticized during the campaign as potentially inflationary.
“When a family can’t afford to put healthy food on the table, theoretical economic debates about optimal tax policy become academic,” Carney told reporters with uncharacteristic bluntness.
The package will also include expanded eligibility for the Canada Child Benefit and a one-time “cost-of-living rebate” averaging $500 for households earning under $90,000. These measures would cost approximately $8.4 billion according to Parliamentary Budget Office estimates—significantly more than was projected in the Liberal platform.
During my conversation with a senior Finance Department official who requested anonymity, they admitted the spending represents a departure from Carney’s central banker instincts. “Mark knows he needs to address immediate pain points before he can focus on longer-term fiscal discipline.”
At campaign stops from Halifax to Victoria, Carney frequently cited his experience navigating the 2008 financial crisis as preparation for today’s climate emergency. Now, his government is positioning its clean energy strategy as both environmental necessity and economic opportunity.
Yesterday’s Throne Speech committed to tripling Canada’s clean electricity capacity by 2035 through what Carney calls a “once-in-a-generation” infrastructure investment. The plan includes $35 billion
