Before the numbers were tabled, before the prime minister and finance minister stood before the cameras holding the budget books, my work had already begun. Months earlier, long before the fiscal story was finalized, the design process for the budget cover was underway.

Each year, the question that guided the federal budget cover wasn’t about economics. It was about emotion: What does this year feel like for Canadians?

It was never just about colours or fonts. It was about translating the theme of the budget — housing, healthcare, affordability, or supporting workers — into something instantly felt and understood. The image on the cover had to tell that story, before the budget itself was revealed.

During the pandemic, that task carried even greater weight. The world was uncertain, and Canada was still finding its footing. In 2021, we placed a healthcare worker on the cover in scrubs — not as a symbol of government, but as a reflection of gratitude and endurance. The tones........

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