Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Monday the government would launch the new Canadian Groceries and Essentials Benefit, including an increase to the GST credit, which returns a portion of the federal sales tax to Canadians with lower incomes. Carney said the benefit will provide ‘relief for people who feel that extra cost at the checkout most acutely.’
The cost of food is no small thing. Indeed, for many Canadians it is the main thing. And for too many, the cost of food has become too much. The Liberal government’s answer, Carney explained, is to provide a “boost” to those most in need, while building a “bridge” in the longer term to “food security and affordability.”
The boost is an increase in the GST credit — now styled as the “Groceries and Essentials Benefit” — which is targeted toward Canadians on the lower end of the income scale. The bridge includes a number of policies to support businesses dealing with trade disruptions and boost domestic production. The government also says it is developing a national food security strategy, which will include measures to monitor and enforce competition in the food sector.
Sources: CBC News
