Many Ontarians will receive a one-time payment from the ...
Many Ontarians will receive a one-time payment from the federal government this week.
The grocery rebates were announced as part of Canada's 2023 budget in an effort to alleviate the pressures of high food costs and inflation. They are expected to start being distributed Wednesday alongside the next quarterly GST/HST credit payment.
There is no application process for the rebate. Instead, it will be issued automatically to about 11 million Canadians whose household income is $38,000 or less, and individuals who make $32,000 or less.
Eligible Canadian couples with two children will receive up to $467, single Canadians without children will be allotted up to $234, and seniors will get up to $225, on average.
To receive the payment, it is required that eligible recipients have filed their 2021 tax return.
Earlier this year, Canada's Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland opted to pull this proposal out of the main 2023 budget implementation bill to try to see the payments administered faster. Senators agreed to an expedited timeline for its consideration.
"It is our Liberal government that is going to be delivering in just a few weeks a grocery rebate to 11 million Canadians who need it the most,” Freeland said during a panel discussion at the Liberal Party of Canada convention in Ottawa
“That is Liberal compassion, that is taking care of each other,” she said.
While the maximum possible rebate is just over $600, U of T Professor Michael J. Widener says it will nonetheless make a difference for many families who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
“It certainly will help, especially for people who are stretched quite thin,” Widener, who chairs U of T’s Department of Geography and Planning, told CP24. “I mean, you are in a situation right now where rent is incredibly high, transportation costs are high, and grocery bills continue to be higher than ever.”
While he acknowledged the rebate will give some people a leg up, he agreed that “it's absolutely a Band-Aid solution” and said that “injecting a large amount of cash into the economy in the moment where we are facing inflation” won’t help the people who need help in the long-term.
“I think one of the big things we need to think about is how can we consider things like transportation costs, rent, and groceries all at the same time when thinking about policy solutions,” Widener said.
The government advises waiting 10 days before contacting the CRA about the payment if you think you’re eligible but don’t receive it. People can also check the status of their benefits by logging on to their CRA account.
With files from CP24's Joshua Freeman and CTV News' Rachel Aiello.
