SUDBURY, ON, April 3, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, members of the Sudbury community joined Patty Hajdu, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North and Minister of Indigenous Services; Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury; and Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages; at the Lockerby Legion Branch 564 to highlight Budget 2023's investments in new, targeted inflation relief for the most vulnerable Canadians to support them with the cost of living.
To make life more affordable, Budget 2023 delivers the new Grocery Rebate, offering targeted inflation relief for 11 million Canadians and families who need it most, with up to an additional $467 for eligible couples with children; an additional $234 for single Canadians without children; and an additional $225 for seniors, on average.
Jennifer Huard, President of the Lockerby Legion Branch 564, joined the MPs to discuss how the new Grocery Rebate included in Budget 2023 will benefit seniors and other members of the Sudbury community.
By focusing the Grocery Rebate on the Canadians who need it most, the government will be able to provide important relief without making inflation worse. The Grocery Rebate will be delivered through a one-time payment from the Canada Revenue Agency as soon as possible following the passage of legislation.
"The period of inflation we are in means some people are struggling with the price of groceries. Canadians with modest to low incomes, including seniors with fixed incomes and families with children, will be better off with many Budget 2023 affordability measures, including a one-time Grocery Rebate. Targeted supports, combined with the pegged-to-inflation benefits like a more generous OAS, Working Income Tax Benefit and Canada Child Benefit, will help Canadians get through these challenging times."
Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, Minister responsible for FedNor, and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North
"Groceries are more expensive today, and for many in our community, higher prices on essential necessities are causing extreme stress. Budget 2023 is about making life more affordable for Canadians. The new Grocery Rebate will help those who need it the most in Sudbury."
Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury
"Budget 2023 will directly benefit residents in Nickel Belt-Greater Sudbury by delivering a new Grocery Rebate, which provides support to couples, children and seniors who need it most. This is in addition to taking action to protect the most vulnerable by cracking down on junk fees, predatory lending and helping Canadians keep more money in their pockets. I want to thank the Lockerby Legion for allowing us to share this good news with Canadians."
Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages
"With the cost of living going up, the Grocery Rebate will benefit veterans, their families and community members alike. We applaud the federal government for finding solutions to the affordability challenges faced by many here in the Nickel Belt. The entire legion is grateful for the ongoing support shown by MP Serré, and we look forward to continued collaboration."
Jennifer Huard, President of the Lockerby Legion Branch 564
Other proposed measures in Budget 2023 to strengthen affordability include:
- The government's intention to work with regulatory agencies, provinces, and territories to reduce junk fees for Canadians. This could include higher telecom roaming charges, event and concert fees, excessive baggage fees, and unjustified shipping and freight fees.
- Automatic tax filing for low-income Canadians:
- Since 2018, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has delivered a free and simple File My Return service, which allows eligible Canadians to auto-file their tax return over the phone after answering a series of short questions. Budget 2023 announces that the federal government will increase the number of eligible Canadians for File My Return to two million people by 2025—almost triple the current number.
- Budget 2023 also announces that, starting next year, the CRA will pilot a new automatic filing service that will help vulnerable Canadians who do not currently file their taxes receive the benefits to which they are entitled.
- Secured commitments from Visa and MasterCard to lower fees for small businesses while also protecting reward points for Canadian consumers offered by Canada's large banks.
- Cracking down on predatory lending by:
- Introducing changes to the Criminal Code to lower the criminal rate of interest from the equivalent of 47% APR (annual percentage rate) to 35% APR, in line with the lowest cap among provinces, which is in Quebec. The government will also launch consultations on whether the criminal rate of interest should be further reduced.
- Adjusting the Criminal Code's payday lending exemption to require payday lenders to charge no more than $14 per $100 borrowed, in line with the lowest cap among provinces, which is in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Budget 2023: A Made-in-Canada Plan: Strong Middle Class, Affordable Economy, Healthy Future
- Budget 2023: Address by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
- Backgrounder: Making Life More Affordable
For questions related to Budget 2023, please contact the Department of Finance Canada at [email protected]
SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada
Media may contact: Zeus Eden, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Indigenous Services, [email protected]; Media Relations: Indigenous Services Canada, 819-953-1160, [email protected]
Share this article