The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the cost of a new dental plan for uninsured low- and middle-income Canadians could be nearly double what the federal government originally estimated.
This program was a key part of the agreement the Liberals reached with the New Democratic Party to govern until 2025, without being defeated on a vote of confidence in Parliament.
The Liberals have promised to offer coverage by the end of the year to children in households with incomes below $90,000, then expand coverage in 2023 to seniors and people with disabilities. .
The government’s 2022 budget suggested the plan would cost $5.3 billion over the next five years.
But in a note on estimating the cost of legislation, the Parliamentary Budget Officer says the cost of this regime could be closer to $9 billion over five years.
The government has just over six months to implement this entirely new program, but it still appears to be in the consultation phase of its planning.
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