$2.5B grocery rebate will help 11 million Canadians, feds say
The federal budget, tabled Tuesday, introduced a new, targeted inflation relief program to help 11 million low and modest-income Canadians and families save money on groceries.
The grocery rebate would provide eligible couples with two children up to an extra $467 delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency as soon as possible after the legislation passes. Single Canadians without children can qualify for an extra $234, while seniors can get an average of $225.
Overall, the one-time rebate is expected to cost $2.5 billion.
“They’re calling it a grocery rebate but it’s not really, it’s just financial help,” says Dalhousie University’s Sylvain Charlebois. “They can actually use the money to do whatever they want.”
But those who work in shelter settings, like Michelle Porter, believe the rebate will help those who need it most.
“Politics aside, I could tell you that I know hundreds of people who will benefit from that little bit of extra cash,” says Porter, the CEO of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax.
However recipients choose to use those funds, Porter says they will be put to good use.
She says the drop-in centre was serving as many as 300 meals a day during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and they’re still giving out over 200 today.
“Whatever it goes toward is going to be a help, whether that’s your power bill, whether that’s your bus ticket for the month or food,” said Porter.
Charlebois thinks there could be some unintended consequences to the payout.
“When you pour more money into the market, $2 billion, you can actually make inflation worse. You could actually inflate prices even more,” he says.
The professor would like to see a more targeted approach to help people put food on their tables.
He says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is a modern version of the food stamp program used in the United States, would work north of the border.
“You give stamps to people who actually need money to eat and they actually use stamps to buy healthy food -- not junk food, good food,” Charlebois says.
As for those who will potentially benefit from the grocery rebate, “I see this is one small thing in a, hopefully, master plan,” says Sharon Martin.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6859737.1713960487!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.