Carney announces food affordability measures, including boost to GST rebate

[Spazito]

Measures include $500 million in capital investment funding for food businesses, $20 million for food banks

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a suite of affordability measures on Monday that he says will help Canadian families struggling to cope with the rising cost of living.

The flagship measure in Monday's announcement is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which Carney said will boost what families and individuals receive through their GST rebate over the next five years.

snip

In its first year, the benefit will give low- and modest-income Canadians eligible for the GST rebate a one-time boost that raises the $1,100 a family of four receives annually to $1,890 and increases the $540 an individual gets to $950.

Starting next year, and running for the next four years, the GST rebate is being increased by 25 per cent, which means a family of four will get up to $1,400 annually, while an individual will get about $700 a year.

snip

The prime minister also announced his government will direct $20 million in funding to the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to ease the pressure on food banks.

more

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mark-carney-gst-affordability-measures-9.7060907

This is good to see, Canadians are struggling with the cost of groceries.

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. I would prefer to see the grocery business investigated for price fixing.

We know they did it with bread a few years ago,

Maybe it’s time for whatever the Canadian equivalent of anti-trust regulation is.

[Spazito]

2. I don't disagree with you...

but I can support this action as the price of groceries right now are due to more than price fixing and Canadians are hurting right now.

[Bev54]

7. There is an ongoing investigation being done by the competition bureau.

[Jarqui]

3. I've been very impressed with this Prime Minister ...nt

[Spazito]

4. I supported him during the last election even though...

I was concerned he was more of a center left politician that would focus primarily on economics but have been pleasantly surprised with his actions, overall, since his win. He is the right person for the job at this time, imo.

[Jarqui]

5. Saw him responding to a reporter asking him about Trump's new 100% tariff threats

Last edited Mon Jan 26, 2026, 02:10 PM - Edit history (1)

if Canada enters into a free trade deal with China (a made up allegation by Trump in the wake of the auto deal for Chinese EVs - 3% of CDN market)

Carney cited the very clause in CUSMA (13.10?) that prevented him from doing such a thing

Then he responded to Trump's belittling Canada's military support.
He rattled off fact after fact on Afghanistan - 1st NATO ally to invoke support and to help after 9/11, ~40,000 troops, 158 dead, thousands injured, etc
... his command of the facts just flowed - machine gunned out, concise, on point

And he was flipping between handling questions in French and English ...

Very Impressive after his Davos speech got a rare standing ovation and EU & NATO members backed him on "New World Order"

Trump negotiating with this guy would be an intellectual mismatch

[Spazito]

6. I loved his speech at Davos...

it was concise and right on point. We are fortunate he chose to run in the last election, there is no question he did so for all the right reasons.

[Bev54]

8. My son, who works in the oil and gas industry in Alberta

said to me yesterday that he is really impressed with Carney as are others in his office. It seems minds are being changed.

[Spazito]

9. I am glad to hear that...

I was a little concerned, at first, but there was no question he had my vote for sure and I was so happy when he and the Liberals won given the earlier polls had PP up in double digits at times.

[Bev54]

10. It gives me some comfort that should we have to go to an election

in the spring, that Carney will likely get his majority.

[Spazito]

11. Yes, they are so close now...

and the Cons with PP as their leader are not gaining in popularity from what I see.