Federal Government Spent $19 Billion on External Consultants Last Year
The federal government spent $19 billion on external consultants last year, despite a promise to cut back on its use of outside contractors. The government’s audited financial statements for last year, released Friday, show the government spent almost $19.2 billion on external professional and special services in 2025-26. That’s almost as much as the $19.5 billion it spent on those services the year before.
TL;DR
- Federal government expenditure on external consultants was $19.2 billion in 2025-26.
- This spending is nearly the same as the $19.5 billion spent in the previous year.
- The spending contradicts Prime Minister Mark Carney's promise to reduce reliance on external consultants.
- Contracted organizations included Bell Canada, KPMG, Microsoft Canada Inc., and the City of Toronto.