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canada budget 2023

Canada Announced A New Public Dental Care Plan — Here's Who Would Qualify

Under an early 2022 agreement with the NDP, the federal Liberal government agreed to roll out public dental care coverage to children and low to medium-income adults. That commitment is now another step closer to becoming a reality. Canada's proposed 2023 budget calls for the expansion of dental care coverage to all uninsured households with under $90,000 in annual income.

But Quebec is already signalling its disapproval of the federal program.

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Canada Wants A Single Charger Type For Most Electronics— No More New-Phone-New-Charger B.S.

Right now, phone makers have complete control over the shape of your charging ports. With every new device, they use that control to squeeze as much money out of you as they can. But their charger stranglehold could be coming to an end. The Government of Canada plans to start looking into standardizing charging ports across manufacturers. And not just for phones.

The proposed 2023 budget raises the possibility of single charger types for phones, tablets, cameras, laptops and "other electronic devices."

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Tax-Free First-Home Savings Accounts Are Officially Launching In Canada — Here's How They Work

After a year of teasing new Tax-Free First-Home Savings Accounts, the federal government has announced the option will finally launch on April 1, 2023. The benefits are pretty straightforward. Aspiring first-time homebuyers will be able to put money into their accounts and deduct those contributions from their income tax. Then, when they're ready to actually purchase a home, they can take money from the account without paying taxes on the withdrawal, either. Earned interest is tax-free, too.

There are limits though.

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Canada Plans To Finally 'Crack Down' On Ridiculous Concert Ticket Charges & Other Junk Fees

Your favourite artist is finally coming to town. You scramble to purchase concert tickets on a faulty vendor website. You're in luck, it works. You make it through to checkout and scrutinize your receipt... Wait a minute — delivery fees, processing fees, facility charges — these additional costs have greatly inflated your ticket price. A coming "crackdown" on junk fees in Canada could finally put an end to them — if it comes to fruition. Getting rid of these extra costs is probably more complicated than you think.

The Government of Canada has announced its "intention" to "crack down" on junk fees as part of its proposed 2023 budget. But right now, that commitment is little more than a flashy statement.

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Canada Officially Announced A New Grocery Rebate & Millions Would Qualify For The Extra Money

The Canadian federal government's 2023 budget includes a one-time boost to the Goods and Services Tax Credit (GST Credit or GSTC) that it's terming the "Grocery Rebate." This rebate would provide a maximum of $153 per adult, plus $81 per child and $81 for single adults without children, adding up to a maximum of $234 per qualifying Canadian adult living alone.

The new Grocery Rebate is intended to "help make up for higher prices at the checkout counter — without adding fuel to the fire of inflation," according to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

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A New 'Grocery Rebate' Of Up To $234 Will Reportedly Go Out To Millions Of Canadians

CBC News reports the Government of Canada will announce a new payment for residents to counter high grocery costs due to inflation. The payment, which CBC's unnamed government source called a "grocery rebate," would reportedly mean an extra $234 for eligible individuals living alone and $467 for a family of four.

Details are few, but the CBC source says the rebate will be tied to the GST Credit, which gives back some of the money low-income residents pay in federal sales tax. Taxpayers are automatically considered for the GST Credit when they file. For payments in the 2022-2023 period, a given household had to have an income under $39,826 in 2021 to receive maximum credit amounts.

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