Global Affairs
How Global Affairs spent its budget in fiscal year 2023-24, shown as net expenditures by standard object from Public Accounts Volume II.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is the federal department responsible for managing Canada's diplomatic relations, international trade, and development assistance. Established in 1909 as the Department of External Affairs, it oversees Canada's engagement in global affairs, negotiates international agreements, administers trade policy, and provides humanitarian aid. It also supports Canadian businesses expanding abroad, maintains ties through multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and NATO, and assists Canadian citizens overseas during emergencies.
Department Spending
In FY 2023-24,
$19.2B
was spent by Global Affairs
In FY 2023-24,
3.7%
of federal spending was by Global Affairs
On the consolidated accrual basis (Volume I), this portfolio’s expenses were $8.26B in FY 2023-24 — see the overview and methodology.
Global Affairs Canada spent $19.2B in fiscal year (FY) 2024, representing 3.7% of the $521.4 billion in overall federal spending, placing it among the mid-sized federal departments.
Spending by entity, FY 2023-24
Export Development Canada (Canada Account)
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
International Development Research Centre
Invest in Canada Hub
Canadian Commercial Corporation
International Joint Commission (Canadian Section)
$10.52B
$8.46B
$164.6M
$34.3M
$14M
$9.2M
GAC's FY 2024 spending was concentrated in two areas. The Export Development Canada (Canada Account), a government financing facility for transactions in the national interest, accounted for the single largest share at $10.5 billion, while the core Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development spent $8.5 billion. Most of the remaining spending took the form of international development assistance, with the largest grants and contributions supporting multilateral and bilateral development programming.
Global Affairs’s share of federal spending
Percentage of federal spending, 1995–2025
How did Global Affairs spend its budget in 2023-24?
The department is led by two ministers—one responsible for foreign affairs and one for international trade—supported by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Minister of International Trade. Both ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister and are among the cabinet members who serve at the Prime Minister's discretion, remaining in office until their successors are sworn in.
Line items
Every transfer-payment (grant and contribution) program, in dollars. These are the named programs behind the transfer-payments object in the chart above. Search, sort, and download the full table.
| Category | Description | Amount ▼ |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | Grants from the International Development Assistance for Multilateral Programming | $2,400,675,231 |
| Contributions | Contributions from the International Development Assistance for Multilateral Programming | $961,069,860 |
| Contributions | Contributions from the International Development Assistance for Bilateral Programming to support regional or country specific | $667,298,503 |
| Contributions | Contributions from the International Development Assistance for Partnerships with Canadians Programming | $360,140,937 |
| Other transfer payments | Payments to International Financial Institutions—Direct payments (International Development (Financial Institutions) Assistance Act) | $240,228,815 |
| Contributions | United Nations peacekeeping operations (US$169,581,353) | $201,067,043 |
| Grants | Grants in support of the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program | $117,211,717 |
| Contributions | United Nations Organization (US$81,468,000) | $113,014,459 |
| Grants | Grants from the International Development Assistance for Partnerships with Canadians Programming | $106,508,348 |
| Contributions | Contributions in support of the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program | $77,622,078 |
| Contributions | Contributions for the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program | $50,615,377 |
| Contributions | Contributions under the Weapons Threat Reduction Program | $47,148,018 |
| Contributions | North Atlantic Treaty Organization—Civil administration (26,525,038 Euro) | $39,579,204 |
| Grants | Grants in Support of the CanExport Program | $31,497,372 |
| Grants | Grants for the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program | $28,676,049 |
Explore other federal departments
Global Affairs figures are net expenditures by standard object from Public Accounts Volume II, and will not match the Volume I consolidated headline totals. See the methodology for details.
