Message From Tony
Canada Child Benefit
Raising kids is expensive. That’s why the Government of Canada created the Canada Child Benefit to give extra financial support to hard-working middle-class families and to give kids the best possible start in life. Since its introduction in 2016, the Canada Child Benefit has helped make life more affordable for parents and lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.
Last week on its eighth anniversary, we announced the maximum annual Canada Child Benefit will increase again to help parents keep up with the cost of living. That’s more tax-free money back in their pockets every month—to spend on groceries, rent, summer camps and whatever their family needs.
For the 2024–25 benefit year, families can receive up to $7,787 per child under the age of 6 and $6,570 per child aged 6 through 17. This means moms and dads could receive up to $350 more than last year. This represents an increase of 4.7% from the previous year.
The Canada Child Benefit has been indexed to inflation using Consumer Price Index data as reported by Statistics Canada—a widely used measure of inflation. Indexing the Canada Child Benefit occurs every July, ensuring that the benefit protects families from inflation and provides certainty and predictability of support parents can count on.
The Canada Child Benefit is part of our work to support families and make life cost less. This includes the Canada-wide early learning and childcare system, which has already reduced fees for regulated childcare by half on average across the country, and the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which will make trips to the dentist more affordable for up to 9 million uninsured Canadians.
These are just some of the things that we’re doing to build a better and fairer future for every generation. We’re also building more homes, improving health care and investing in innovation—so that every Canadian has a fair chance to succeed.
More resources available for those grieving in York Region
The Oasis Centre for Bereavement and Healing is an organization that I am proud to support and be a part of. The Centre’s mission is to help members of the York Region community navigate their grief journey by providing a central network of safe and valuable resources and support. They aim to honour grief as a normal and healthy process that is vital to living with purpose and meaning after a loved one has died.
I was honoured to attend the unveiling of a wind phone on the Tom Taylor Trail in Newmarket, which is a joint initiative between the municipality of Newmarket and Oasis. The concept of a wind phone originated in Japan and provides an outlet for those experiencing loss and grief through an unconnected phone that carries messages through the wind. The phone is made out of a recycled rotary telephone and is the second phone that Oasis has helped install in York Region.
The journey of grief and loss are unique to every person experiencing it. If you are currently suffering from grief in York Region, I encourage you to check out the many resources offered by the Oasis Centre for Bereavement and Healing, including the wind phone that is now available for public use. Additionally, if you are in crisis, you can call or text 9-8-8 to receive 24/7 bilingual support from trained responders.
Advancing priorities to make life more affordable
Last fall, we tabled the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, which is one of the steps our government has taken to help create good jobs, build more homes, and make life more affordable. Following this, we tabled Bill C-59, the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023, which successfully passed all stages in the House and the Senate and received Royal Assent on June 20th, 2024.
This means that our government is able to deliver on key measures to make life cost less, including:
- Making mental health services more affordable by removing the GST/HST on psychotherapy and counselling therapy services.
- Introducing a 15-week shareable Employment Insurance adoption benefit for adoptive parents, including surrogate parents, while ensuring that workers in federally regulated sectors have job protection while receiving the benefit.
- Creating a new paid leave for federally regulated workers to support families who experience pregnancy loss.
- Building more rental housing by removing the GST on new rental home construction for co-operative housing corporations that provide long-term rental accommodation.
- Doubling the rural top-up on the Canada Carbon Rebate, from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, in recognition of rural Canadians’ higher energy needs and more limited access to cleaner transportation options.
I was proud to see this bill become law and deliver on several measures that will support the middle class, grow the economy, and accelerate the housing supply from coast to coast to coast. I look forward to see our government continue to deliver on these priorities in the fall.
Supporting youth mental health in Canada
Mental health is health. We recognize the significant mental health challenges faced by youth, which have been exacerbated due to COVID-19. Our government is making sure our young people and youth are resilient and have the supports needed to succeed — and not fall through the cracks.
In Budget 2024, we tabled our plan to create a $500 million Youth Mental Health Fund to make sure young people can access the mental health care they need. Currently, we’re asking for input from youth, families, service providers, and community partners to support the creation of this Fund. To participate in the online questionnaire, you can visit this website. Tomorrow, July 31st, is the last day to participate.
As our government develops the next steps to implement this plan, we will continue working with stakeholders, youth, and all partners to ensure this fund is the best way to support community organizations and meet the needs of youth from coast to coast to coast. Together, we can make sure young people have the tools they need to succeed and reach their full potential.
