Federal Government Spending on External Consultants Hits $19.2 Billion

The federal government spent $19.2 billion on external professional and special services during 2025-26, a figure nearly matching the $19.5 billion spent the previous year. Organizations contracted by the government included Bell Canada and KPMG. Despite Mark Carney promising to reduce the government’s reliance on outside consultants, the government’s actual spending in 2025-26 was barely lower than the year before.

The federal government stated that its budget included steps to reduce spending on external management and consulting services by 20%, aiming for $900 million in annual savings by 2028-29. However, critics noted that projected spending for 2026-27 is the highest on record, despite the promised reduction.