Millions Of Canadians Will Reportedly Get A 'Grocery Rebate' — Here's What We Know
Eligible individuals could get up to $234 via the rebate.💰
The federal government is set to announce a new "grocery rebate" in an attempt to combat the rising cost of living in Canada, sources have suggested.
A senior government official told CBC News that the new rebate is set to be announced as part of the 2023 federal budget — which will be shared with Canadians on Tuesday, March 28.
The so-called grocery rebate is expected to benefit as many as 11 million households, and will be offered to help offset the rising cost of food and other groceries.
According to the government source, the feds will not oversee how the payments are spent, and won't require the money to be used specifically for groceries.
What's more, the one-time payment is not expected to be based on each individual's usual grocery expenditures and will instead be a "targeted measure that won't add fuel to the inflation fire."
Under current plans, the rebate would be facilitated through the GST credit and aimed at lower income families.
CBC News says the grocery rebate will offer up to $234 for a single person with no children, up to $467 for a couple with two children and around $225 for senior citizens.
Of course, the feds must still get the legislation to implement the budget passed before any major moves can be made.
And, exactly how long it would take for Canadians to see this grocery rebate would likely depend on how quickly the budget is approved.
The government source suggested the cost of implementing the rebate would be "north of $2 billion."
Additional details about exactly who would qualify for the money, how the amount would be calculated and when it would be rolled out are yet to be confirmed.
The grocery rebate is just one of a number of affordability measures that Trudeau's government is expected to lay out this week.
CBC reports that the feds also intend to crack down on "junk fees" (the extra charges added to the initial price of a product or service), which could make things like phone bills and event ticket prices cheaper.
More details are expected on Tuesday, when Deputy PM and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will announce the federal budget for 2023.
