Canada Social Transfer
What is the Canada Social Transfer (CST)?
- The CST is a federal block transfer to provinces and territories in support of post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, and early childhood development and early learning and childcare.
- The CST is calculated on an equal per capita cash basis to reflect the Government’s commitment to ensure that conditional transfers provide equal support for all Canadians.
- The CST base increased by $687 million in 2007–08 to support the move to equal per capita cash. In 2008–09, the CST increased by $800 million for post-secondary education and an additional $250 million to support the development of child care spaces.
- As announced in December 2011, CST cash levels are set in legislation to continue to grow for 2014-15 and beyond by three percent annually as a result of an automatic escalator applied since 2009–10.
- The Government of Canada has increased the transparency of its transfer support through the CST by providing information on the notional allocation of federal support among priority areas:
- support for children,
- post-secondary education,
- and social programs.
- Major Federal Transfers -