Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to take part in today’s debate and to discuss our government’s plan to ease financial pressures on households and help Canadians build a better future for their families and our country. Our government knows that Canada is strongest when we look after one another and ensure everyone has a fair chance to succeed. That is why we are taking action to make everyday life more affordable. In January, the government announced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit to put more money back in Canadians’ pockets. The benefit is helping more than 12 million low- and modest-income Canadians afford everyday essentials. It replaces the existing GST credit while providing more generous support. We increased it by 25% for five years, starting in July, and added a one-time payment this year. Together, these enhancements will provide substantial support to those most affected by rising food prices. For example, a person living alone who is eligible for the GST credit could previously only receive a maximum of $543 for 2026-27. With the one-time payment and the 2026-27 benefit combined, that person will receive approximately $950 in total. For a couple with two children, total support will increase from approximately $1,086 to $1,890. These increases will make meaningful differences for households facing higher food costs. The benefit is also indexed to inflation to ensure payments rise each year with the cost of living. We are taking these steps because helping Canadians afford everyday essentials is the right thing to do. The Canada groceries and essentials benefit is part of a broader package of measures to ease grocery cost pressures across Canada. Canada’s first-ever national food security strategy will address food insecurity, support producers and strengthen supply chains to help lower prices for Canadians. The strategy is backed by more than $3 billion in investments over 10 years. It includes a $1-billion investment in food infrastructure, including food terminals, to help independent grocers buy and move completely produced products. The strategy also includes a $1-billion investment through Farm Credit Canada and a $150-million food security fund to help Canadian businesses grow, produce and process more food in Canada. A further $750 million will go to expanding year-round Canadian fruit and vegetable production. These measures will address the root causes of food insecurity by strengthening domestic food production and improving access to affordable, nutritious food. We are not only putting more money in the pockets of those who need it the most. We are also helping Canadians keep more of what they earn through a middle-class tax cut. We have reduced the tax rate from 15% to 14%. As a result, nearly 22 million Canadians are receiving tax relief of up to $420 per person, while two-income families can save up to $840 this year. In 2026, the lower rate applies to taxable income of up to $58,523, providing meaningful relief during a period of economic uncertainty. Most of the tax relief will go to Canadians in the two lowest tax brackets, with nearly half directed to those in the first bracket. In other words, the measure is targeted to those who need support the most. Above all, we must consider our children, and that is why we made the national school food program permanent. It will provide healthy school meals to as many as 400,000 children and save families with two children about $800 a year on groceries. Working with provinces, territories and indigenous partners, we will continue to expand the program to more schools across Canada, ensuring that hunger is never a deterrent to getting one’s education. Our government also recognizes that recent global developments have made life more difficult for Canadians. Tariffs imposed by our largest trading partner have had a significant impact on Canadian workers and businesses from coast to coast to coast. Conflict and instability in the Middle East have also driven up fuel prices worldwide. In these circumstances, Canadians need relief, and our government has delivered it. Through carefully targeted measures, we are helping Canadians meet these challenges while strengthening Canada’s sovereignty and economic resilience. For example, last spring we acted to ease the impact of high fuel costs on Canadians. In April, after disruptions to crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz pushed fuel prices higher, our government temporarily suspended the federal fuel excise tax. The measure has saved Canadians and Canadian businesses up to 10¢ per litre on gasoline and unleaded aviation gasoline, up to 11¢ per litre on leaded aviation gasoline and up to four cents a litre on diesel and aviation fuel. The savings were immediate. On the first day the temporary suspensions took effect, gasoline prices fell by 11¢ per litre, providing direct relief to consumers. Through Bill C-38, we propose to continue providing relief at the pump by extending the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax through January 31, 2027, and then from February 1 to March 31, 2027, the tax would apply at 50% of its regular rate. The extension would lower everyday costs for Canadians, including truckers and businesses in the food, agriculture, housing, construction and delivery sectors. In short, it would provide timely, meaningful relief when Canadians need it the most. By easing pressure on gasoline and diesel prices at the pump, we are lowering costs for Canadians today while building a stronger, more resilient and more independent economy for the future. To conclude, Canadians should feel the benefits of economic growth not only in the economic reports but also in their wallets and around the kitchen table. That starts with ensuring that everyone can afford to put good food on the table. We are building a stronger Canada, one where economic growth improves everyday life and gives every Canadian a fair opportunity to succeed. That is how we will build a more prosperous and inclusive future.
