Justin Trudeau’s government tabled two bills on Tuesday aimed at lessening the effect of the rising cost of living on less affluent Canadians, including one on dental care.
“With current inflation, for more than a third of Canadians, getting dental care for themselves and their children seems out of reach. This situation is alarming, because dental care is essential to people’s health and well-being,” said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos after presenting the piece of legislation as soon as parliamentary work resumed.
The latter, Bill C-31, should allow the government to send checks to families earning less than $90,000 a year to help them pay dental fees for their children under 12 years old.
Specifically, the government wants to pay up to $650 per child per year, depending on their household income. Ottawa estimates that these tax-free payments will help about 500,000 children.
This temporary measure, which is to be spread over two years, is the first step in a broader government plan for dental care. This file is a key element of the confidence agreement between the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party.
Families will need to apply to the Canada Revenue Agency and certify that their child is not covered by private dental insurance. They will also have to confirm that they have dental expenses and that they will keep their receipts.
Also for young Quebecers
National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier assured that checks would be made to ensure that only eligible people benefit from the benefit.
“I can assure Canadians it will not be a blank cheque. There are processes that are in place, ”she said, mentioning that the names of dentists and appointments will be verified, in addition to the annual income.
The government hopes to be able to distribute the first checks by the beginning of December, but that will depend on when the bill is passed. The cost of the measure is estimated at $938 million, officials said in a technical briefing.
In Quebec, although many dental treatments are already covered for children under 10 under the provincial public plan, Minister Duclos said that Quebec families will still be able to obtain the federal benefit.
“In Canada, there is quite a diversity of coverage. No coverage sufficiently covers children under 12, including in Quebec,” he said, mentioning that certain treatments, such as scaling, are not reimbursed.
Help for the most deprived for rent
Bill C-31 also provides $500 to help low-income Canadians pay their rent.
This one-time assistance, at an estimated cost of $1.2 billion, is a supplement to the Canada Housing Benefit.
It would be available to families earning less than $35,000 and allocating at least 30% of their adjusted net income to housing expenses. Single people whose adjusted net income is less than $20,000 and who devote the same portion of their income to paying their rent will also be eligible.
Housing, Diversity and Inclusion Minister Ahmed Hussen said Ottawa estimates 1.8 million renters will be eligible for the supplement.
Double the GST credit
A second bill tabled on Tuesday, Bill C-30, aims to double the GST credit to those who already benefit from it. The amount of the benefit may reach $233.50 for single persons, $306 for married or common-law couples and $80.50 for children. The amounts of the measure, at an estimated cost of 2.5 billion, decrease as income increases.
The outline of the three measures contained in the bills tabled on Tuesday had already been announced last week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The fight against inflation should be one of the most discussed topics on Parliament Hill in the coming weeks. We will also have to watch the first exchanges between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the new Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre.
Observers waiting for this first confrontation will have to wait until Thursday, however, because Mr. Trudeau will be in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday for the United Nations General Assembly.
With information from Laura Osman