Liberal Black Caucus highlights budget investments to make life more affordable

April 4, 2023 | Vision Newspaper |

OTTAWA – Canadians are facing significant affordability challenges through higher grocery prices and an increased cost of living. That is why our government is investing in Canadians to ensure a stronger, more sustainable, and more secure Canadian economy for everyone.

On Monday, Arielle Kayabaga, Chair of the Liberal Black Caucus and Member of Parliament for London West, and the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, hosted a virtual roundtable with Black media from across the country to share key measures from Budget 2023 that the government is taking to make life more affordable, including:

• a new Grocery Rebate to help 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians up to an extra $467;
• a $198.3 billion investment over the next 10 years to strengthen the public healthcare system; and
• an investment tax credit in clean electricity to deliver cleaner and more affordable energy.

MP Kayabaga highlighted how our government is working on a more equitable and inclusive Canada through programs like Supporting Black Canadian Communities (SBCCI) which received an additional $25 million investment in Budget 2023. This measure is particularly important to help increase the capacity of Black-led organizations and initiatives that serve Black communities in Canada.

Quotes

“This budget helps to make life more affordable for all Canadians, strengthen our universal public healthcare system, and build a clean economy that will create good middle class jobs across the country. At a challenging time in a challenging world, Budget 2023 will ensure that Canadians can continue to count on their government being there for them.” – Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West and Chair of the Liberal Black Caucus

“With grocery prices going up, many Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. Budget 2023 is our plan to make life more affordable, strengthen public health care, and build a stronger, more sustainable, and more secure Canadian economy—for everyone. This is exactly what we’re doing with the new Grocery Rebate and other investments in Budget 2023.”- The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

Quick facts:

• Canada has made a remarkable recovery from the COVID recession. Canada’s economic growth was the strongest in the G7 over the last year, and today, 830,000 more Canadians are employed than before the pandemic;
• To make life more affordable for students, the budget provides 40% more generous Canada Student Grants up to $4,200 per year and no credit checks for students above the age of 22;
• To strengthen Canada’s universal public health care system, the budget also delivers $198.3 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services, and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve;
• Budget 2023 also introduces a new Canadian Dental Care Plan, to help up to nine million Canadians and ensure no Canadian has to choose between taking care of their health and paying the bills at the end of the month;
• The government is also investing to build a Canada that works for everyone:
  • a $46 million investment to create a mental health fund for Black employees in the federal public service;
  • a $25.4 million investment over five years and $600,000 ongoing for initiatives led by racialized communities to combat and raise awareness about racism;
  • a $83.9 funding over five years and $18.7 million ongoing to launch an independent commission to review any potential wrongful convictions by the court system.

SOURCE Government of Canada