MPs unanimously vote to temporarily double GST rebate for lower-income Canadians

OTTAWA – MPs unanimously passed legislation today to temporarily double GST rebates to help low- and modest-income Canadians, and the bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The federal government has been facing political pressure for months to deliver relief to Canadians who are dealing with rising inflation.

Once the bill becomes law, people who are eligible for the GST rebate will receive a lump-sum payment equivalent to the rebate cheques that will be sent in October and January.

The government expects it will take three to four weeks for the payments to go out after the bill receives royal assent.

The measure is part of a set of three new policies the Liberals proposed last month to help Canadians deal with the rising cost of living.

The other two are a new dental-care benefit for children under 12 from low and modest-income families, and a one-time $500 housing rental allowance for low-income renters.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2022.