By Canadian Press

Liberals not keen on NDP push to hike GST rebate, Canada Child Benefit cheques

May 18, 2022 | 1:16 PM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the new national child-care deals are saving Canadians thousands of dollars and helping offset the hits that keep coming to grocery and gas bills.

But the prime minister appears to be rejecting a call from the NDP to hike the GST rebate and Canada Child Benefit cheques this year, noting both are already indexed to inflation.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants the government to double the GST rebate and hike the child benefit by $500 per kid to help Canadian families struggling with a spike in food and gas prices.

He says the federal government should pay for it by repurposing $2.6 billion intended to give a tax credit for companies that build carbon capture and storage systems.

Statistics Canada reported that inflation in April hit 6.8 per cent, the highest since January 1991, pushed up in large part by a 9.7 per cent increase in the cost of food bought at stores, and a 36 per cent increase in the price of gasoline.

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The House of Commons will vote on an NDP motion today calling on the government to scrap the carbon capture tax credit, which would mainly go to oil companies, and redirect it to renewable energy and help for Canadians struggling because of inflation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2022.

The Canadian Press