Canada recorded a budget deficit of C$26.14 billion ($19.15 billion) for the first nine months of the 2025/26 fiscal year as government expenditures grew faster than revenues, the finance ministry said on Friday. By comparison, the deficit in the same period a year earlier had been C$21.72 billion, it said in a statement. Program expenses rose 3.5% on increases across all major categories. Public debt charges decreased by 0.6% reflecting lower interest rates on treasury bills and on cross-currency swap transactions and other liabilities, the ministry said.