The government said that when combined, the three measures amount to $4.5 billion in financial support targeted at low- and middle-income Canadians — and $3.2 billion of that is new money on top of the measures announced in the budget. The first stage of the Canada Dental Benefit — for children between the ages of two and 12 — is expected to provide dental care to 500,000 children at a cost of close to $1 billion. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos described this first step on dental benefits as an “interim” measure. He said the program will be expanded in the coming years and the government hopes it will work in coordination with provincial plans. “This Canada Temporary Dental Benefit is just a start,” he said. “While this temporary benefit exists, our government will take the necessary steps to build a comprehensive, longer-term dental care program.” Earlier this year, the Liberals and New Democrats struck a deal committing the NDP to vote with the minority Liberal government in the House of Commons on confidence votes by June 2025. In return, the government agreed to meet a number of policy benchmarks against length of way. That agreement committed the government to the goal of expanding the dental program to include people under 18 by next year and all eligible Canadians by the end of 2025.
Dental care plan details
Starting later this year — according to information about the program released Tuesday — children under 12 with household incomes of less than $70,000 a year will be able to qualify for up to $650 a year in dental coverage for the next two years. Children in families with incomes between $70,000 and $79,000 will be able to qualify for up to $390 per child per year for the next two years. Families with incomes between $80,000 and $89,000 could receive up to $260 per child per year for the next two years. The Liberal government says this first stage of the Canada Dental Benefit will begin once the enabling legislation passes Parliament. Once this happens, parents will be able to apply to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) directly for the benefit, either through CRA My Account or through a CRA contact centre. To receive the benefit, parents and guardians must confirm that their child does not have access to private dental care and that they will use the benefit to pay for dental services. Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have a child in the eligible age range and that the family income fits into the correct range. Parents are also required to provide the CRA with their employer’s details. People using the program must also provide the CRA with the name of the dentist and the date of the appointment. They must keep their accounts of the work they have done in case the CRA asks them to verify that it has been carried out. Families who provide false information, fail to provide proof or do not use the money for dental care may face a maximum fine of $5,000. They have proposed legislation that prints more cash, borrows more money and adds fuel to the inflationary fire the prime minister has created.- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre The benefit is to cover the cost of a dentist’s services, but in remote communities where dentists may be in short supply, some services by dentists may also be covered. The federal government says it arrived at the annual maximum claim amounts by calculating the cost of various dental services for children. Once a person receives the benefit, they must use it to pay for dental services — but if the services that year cost less than the total amount of benefits, the recipient is not required to pay back the remainder.
Housing Benefit, GST Credit
The Liberal government also introduced legislation to provide a one-time boost to Canada’s 1.8 million renters struggling with the cost of living. The $500 payment will be available to singles with incomes below $20,000 and families with incomes below $35,000, provided they pay at least 30 percent of their adjusted net income toward rent. Canadians will be able to apply for both dental and housing benefits once Bill C-31 passes Parliament. The Liberals also introduced Bill C-30, which will provide financial assistance to the approximately 11 million Canadians who currently receive the GST tax credit. C-30 only doubles the credit for six months. That means single Canadians could get an extra $234, couples with children could get an extra $467 and seniors could get up to $225 more this year. Since the government announced the broad strokes of these measures earlier this month, critics have claimed that injecting more money into the economy now risks contributing to inflation. “After two years of warnings from the Conservatives, the Trudeau government still has no plan to fix inflation,” Conservative Leader Pierre Polievre said in a statement Tuesday. “They have proposed legislation that prints more cash, borrows more money and adds fuel to the inflationary fire the Prime Minister has created.” Deputy Finance Minister Randy Boissonnault rejected that charge Tuesday, saying the measures in the affordability plan target Canadians who don’t have the money they need to get by. “We’re talking about $3.2 billion in new spending against an entire economy that’s about $2.6 to $2.7 trillion,” he said. “This is like throwing a stone into the lake – the lake does not flood.”
