Home / $1 billion comparisons
How big is $1 billion?
Each amount below is compared independently with CAD 1 billion. These examples cover different years and kinds of money and can overlap; they are not parts of a provincial budget and must not be added.
In 2024-25, provincial department actuals were $10.6 billion, 10.6 times this reference amount. Federal record values are separate commitments, not provincial spending.
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| Example, amount kind and period | Against CAD 1 billion | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| A median full-time wage for a year | 0.0065% of CAD 1 billion | $64,896.00 |
| The middle registered nurse on the over-$100,000 list, 2025 | 0.0117% of CAD 1 billion | $116,500.00 |
| Every MHA's allowance spending in 2024-25, together | 0.1378% of CAD 1 billion | $1,378,082.98 |
| Every minister's expense claim, December 2020 to May 2026, together | 0.3425% of CAD 1 billion | $3,424,682.22 |
| Largest emergency award: Canadian Health Labs | 2.8250% of CAD 1 billion | $28,250,000.00 |
| The House of Assembly for a year, 2024-25 | 3.1255% of CAD 1 billion | $31,255,000.00 |
| Largest sole-source award: Microsoft Canada Inc. | 5.3690% of CAD 1 billion | $53,689,740.00 |
| Largest federal contract with an NL supplier: SC2.0 STEPPED CARE SOLUTIONS INC. | 25.5261% of CAD 1 billion | $255,261,335.35 |
| Professional services in the Physician Services program, 2024-25 | 44.2038% of CAD 1 billion | $442,038,331.00 |
Each bar starts at zero and uses the same CAD 1 billion scale. No remainder or combined example total is calculated. The median wage is a reference annual wage, not local wages created by a contract.