by Timothy Edward, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

As part of the federal government’s multi-billion-dollar affordability package to address cost-of-living financial strain, $250 cheques will be sent to working Canadians who earned less than $150,000 in 2023. To be eligible for the Working Canadians Rebate cheques, your 2023 income tax has to have been filed, or be filed by Dec. 31, 2024.

The affordability package, a collaborative effort between the Liberal government and the NDP, also includes a two-month GST holiday on prepared foods at grocery stores, restaurant meals and takeout, snack foods, beer and wine (as well as other types of alcoholic beverages below 7% ABV), diapers, kids’ clothes and shoes, car seats, toys, books, newspapers and periodicals and real or artificial Christmas trees. The GST suspension will begin on Dec. 14 and end on Feb. 15.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chyrstia Freeland announced the details of the government’s affordability package in a press conference in East Gwillimbury, ON today.

“Inflation is down. We have been close to a year within the target range that the Bank of Canada set, which is why the Bank of Canada is now dropping interest rates faster than most of our peer countries. This allows us to make sure that we are putting money in people’s pockets in a way that is not going to stimulate inflation, but is going to help them make ends meet and continue our economic growth.

“This is something that we’re able to do because Canada has one of the strongest balance sheets in the world, the lowest deficit in the G7, and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. We have a strong fiscal position and we are putting it to work, with a tax break for all Canadians and with rebates for working Canadians.”