Budget 2023 to benefit families and individuals in Orléans

April is Sikh Heritage Month; I am so thankful for the engagement and the immense contributions that Sikh-Canadiens have made to our society and our community of Orléans.

On March 28, 2023, the federal government released the 2023 Budget, which is focused on an affordable economy, enhancing health and dental care, and investing in a clean, green economy.

The budget introduced a new grocery rebate program that will help eligible Orléans residents combat the soaring prices of groceries. A family of four will be eligible to receive up to $467, single Canadians with no children up to $234, and seniors up to $225.

Businesses are a vital part of the Orléans community. The 2023 budget is focused on lowering credit card transaction fees, cracking down on junk fees, and reducing predatory lending. Additionally, the Excise tax on alcohol has been frozen at 2% (for one year).

I am also excited to note that the new TaxFree First Home savings account will help first-time homeowners save up to $40,000.

For all our students in Orléans, the 2023 Budget is investing $813.6M to enhance student financial assistance programs to make education more affordable.

Importantly, the Old Age Security program will provide $75.9B to better support our seniors and their well-being.

Additionally, Budget 2023 is investing $13 billion to help provide dental coverage for uninsured Canadians with an annual income of less than $90,000 – 650 children from Orléans have already been able to access the dental plan that was implemented in 2022.

As we celebrated Earth Day on April 22, I am pleased to note that Budget 2023 is focused on combating climate change. A family of four will receive four payments of $244 through the Climate Action Incentive Rebate.

On another note, I would like to congratulate Orléans’ very own star, Sophie Grenier, a FrancoOntarian student at Garneau High School, who won La VOIX TVA 2023.

On April 20, I attended the 25th anniversary of the École secondaire catholique Béatrice-Desloges. Congratulations to all the staff and employees for their dedication over the last 25 years.

Finally, as we look forward to the upcoming summer months, it is important to highlight the Canada Summer Jobs program. This year, a total of 97 organizations in Orléans received funding and 306 job positions have received support, bringing the total amount of funds allocated to our community to $1.207 million.

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