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Public services in Canada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Public services in Canada are delivered by various levels of government, determined through responsibility enacted in the Constitution. Financing for those services is provided through tax receipts, sales revenues, user fees, and other government revenue sources.

Services

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Service Jurisdiction Funding Notes
Health care Provincial provincial income tax, federal health transfer
Education Provincial Provincial income tax, municipal and regional property taxes An education tax is part of each household's property tax bill; funding of libraries is a municipal responsibility, except in remote and First Nations communities, for which the provincial or federal government supplies funding
Postal service Federal Federal income tax, sales revenue
Law enforcement Federal, provincial and municipal Includes police and border services
Fire and emergency services Municipal Municipal property taxes Includes ambulatory and paramedic service
Water and wastewater Municipal and/or regional Property taxes, user fees Remote communities and First Nations receive service from provincial government; in some areas, regional governments assume portions of capital costs
Waste management Municipal and/or regional Property taxes, user fees Includes solid waste, recycling, composting, and hazardous waste treatment; fees may be charged by some municipal governments for exceeding certain limits of refuse disposal

Health care

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Primary health care in Canada is a provincial responsibility. Funding for service delivery is provided via provincial income tax receipts and federal health transfers.

Education

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Primary, secondary and tertiary education in Canada is the responsibility of each provincial government. The federal government department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada delivers education service to First Nations.