Affordability, critical minerals and the trades are top of mind in this year’s federal budget for leaders across northwestern Ontario.

The budget, released on Tuesday, is the first under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government. It projects a deficit of $78 billion.

There’s a big focus on paring back on operational spending, while putting more money into building new homes and infrastructure and creating a more competitive economy amid the trade war with the U.S., as the government says it’s “supercharging growth.”

“To me, this is a really focused response to the needs of rural communities in northern Ontario,” Thunder Bay—Superior North Liberal MP Patty Hajdu told CBC’s on Wednesday. LISTEN | Patty Hajdu: Federal Budget Reaction: Superior Morning 6:32 Patty Hajdu

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