In a rare showing of all-party support, the federal government's bill to enact the one-time so-called grocery rebate and roll out $2 billion in urgent health-care funding to the provinces and territories passed all stages in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
MPs agreed to move the legislation, tabled in late March and billed as the “Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 3," through all stages of debate and study in one fell swoop. This means the bill is considerably closer to becoming law.
Bill C-46 pulls out two specific elements of the 2023 federal budget that the Liberals wanted to see passed in short order.
It amends the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to see the provinces and territories receive their one-time cash injection into their health-care systems. As part of the overall funding deals, this federal offer will see an immediate national and "unconditional" $2-billion top-up to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT).
The legislation also looks to implement the one-time $2.5 billion "grocery rebate" for 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians. Not required to be spent at the grocery store, the rebate is a rebrand of the GST rebate, and is being provided through the GST tax credit system. Once passed, eligible couples with two children will receive a payment of up to $467, while eligible seniors will receive up to $225, and eligible singles will receive up to $234.
Reacting to the House's fast-tracking of the bill, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland called it "excellent news."
Now, Bill C-46 is off to the Senate, where it is possible a similar swift passage could be ahead. It is not expected that all parties will be similarly on side with the incoming omnibus budget implementation bill implementing the rest of the Liberals' spending plans. That piece of legislation is likely to have a longer journey through Parliament.
