• N.W.T. finance minister says no emergency relief from fuel price shock, but pushes Ottawa for support

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-21 10:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Finance, Energy, Taxation, Affordability]

  Northwest Territories Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek rejected calls from MLAs to slash the territorial gas and diesel tax—which generates an estimated $15 million annually—or provide immediate emergency heating fuel subsidies ahead of winter. Testifying before the federal standing committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Wawzonek criticized federal funding programs like the $2-billion heat pump initiative as unsuitable for northern climates and pressed Ottawa for customized support to address energy and affordability challenges where transport and heating costs are double the national average. She noted the territorial government already provides over $18 million in direct annual energy subsidies and warned that low water levels threatening the hydro system will force the territory to rely more heavily on costly diesel generation.

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• Only 150 first-time homebuyer GST rebates approved as of June

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-24 21:28:16.0
  Tags: [National, Housing, Taxation, Finance, Affordability]

  Federal data reveals that as of June, only 150 first-time homebuyer GST rebate applications out of 7,500 received have been approved by the federal government under its program eliminating the GST on newly built or substantially renovated homes worth up to $1 million. The data indicates that 620 applications were denied, 6,700 remain pending with an average processing time of 50 days, and a total of $3,577,000 has been paid out at an average of about $24,000 per rebate. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne acknowledged the slow rollout, while Department of Finance officials attributed the initial delays to uncertainty surrounding the passage of Bill C-4, which received royal assent in March 2026.

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• C-38 (45-1) - Canadian Fuel Affordability Act

  Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
  Date: 2026-09-21 15:16:00.0
  Tags: [National, Taxation, Finance, Affordability]

  Bill C-38, titled the Canadian Fuel Affordability Act, was introduced and read for the first time in the House of Commons on September 21, 2026. Sponsored by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the bill proposes to amend the Excise Tax Act to extend the federal fuel excise tax relief. The legislation is currently at the second reading stage in the House of Commons during the 1st session of the 45th Parliament.

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• Liberals will extend gas and diesel tax holiday into 2027, sources say

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-02 13:09:12.0
  Tags: [National, Taxation, Affordability, Economy, Finance]

  Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced an extension of the federal excise tax holiday on gasoline and diesel until early 2027. Originally introduced in April by Prime Minister Mark Carney as a temporary measure costing an estimated $2.4 billion to mitigate short-term oil price pressures from the U.S. conflict with Iran, the policy cuts the 10-cent federal excise tax per litre of gas and 4 cents per litre of diesel. The extension comes amid ongoing demands from provincial leaders like Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for further tax relief.

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