MNI BRIEF: Canada Deficit Seen At CAD92B This Year- CD Howe

Canada's budget deficit will be CAD92 billion in the fiscal year that began April 1 rather than the CAD47 billion in Prime Minister Mark Carney's campaign platform, according to an estimate by analysts at the CD Howe think-tank including former senior finance department official Don Drummond.

Deficits over a regular four-year mandate will average CAD78 billion according to the report Thursday, or CAD86 billion excluding what CD Howe called "imagined fines and savings" in the Liberal Party's platform ahead of the April 28 election. (See: MNI: Canada Approved CAD95B Geopolitical Contingency Borrowing)