OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada will proceed spending closely to fight a coronavirus pandemic however the authorities’s response is restricted and momentary, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated on Wednesday.

Freeland made her remarks to a Toronto financial discussion board after analysts and opposition politicians questioned the fiscal penalties of spending greater than C$200 billion ($151.7 billion) in support applications and racking up the most important price range deficit in 75 years.

“There are not any clean cheques, and there are not any free lunches,” Freeland stated in ready remarks.

“Our fiscally expansive strategy to preventing the coronavirus can not and won’t be infinite. It’s restricted and momentary,” she added, promising extra particulars in a fall fiscal replace that she stated was due quickly.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau final month stated Canada would spend what it took to help Canadians and companies, noting that rates of interest are at document lows.

“For nations that may afford to borrow and spend, now isn’t the time for half-measures … the dangers of withdrawing help too quickly outweigh the risks of spending an excessive amount of,” stated Freeland.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Enhancing by Lisa Shumaker)