• S-253 (45-1) - Making Child Care More Affordable for Canadian Families Act

  Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
  Date: 2026-10-29 00:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Taxation, Affordability, Social Services, Governance]

  Bill S-253, titled the Making Child Care More Affordable for Canadian Families Act, was introduced and read for the first time in the Senate on October 29, 2026. The Senate Public Bill proposes to amend the Income Tax Act specifically regarding the child care expense deduction indexation. The legislation is currently at the second reading stage in the Senate during the 1st session of the 45th Parliament.

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• Health spending helped push New Brunswick deficit to record $1.3B in last fiscal year

  Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-25 13:46:00.0
  Tags: [New Brunswick, Finance, Healthcare, Social Services, Economy, Taxation]

  The Government of New Brunswick announced a record deficit of $1.3 billion for the previous fiscal year, more than double the $549-million shortfall projected in the March 2025 budget by the Liberal government. Provincial revenues fell short by nearly $217 million due to lower harmonized sales taxes and reduced corporate and personal income taxes. Conversely, expenses exceeded expectations by almost $538 million, primarily driven by increased spending on healthcare and social development. Finance Minister René Legacy noted that the province closed the fiscal year with a net debt of $13.9 billion while facing ongoing cost pressures and potential U.S. trade tariffs.

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• CRA still owed over $5B in COVID-19 benefits sent to ineligible recipients

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-18 19:50:00.0
  Tags: [National, Taxation, Finance, Economy, Social Services]

  The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) reported that as of July 31, Canadians still owe $5.56 billion in outstanding debt for COVID-19 pandemic benefits—specifically under the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)—after being deemed ineligible. The total debt has nearly halved from over $10 billion reported the previous November, with approximately $3.671 billion successfully recovered since collections began in 2022. The remaining balance includes $2.91 billion for CERB and $1.81 billion for CRB, though figures continue to fluctuate due to ongoing repayments, reassessed eligibility, and write-offs for permanent financial hardship recommended to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The CRA maintains a flexible collection approach with extended timelines and interest-free repayment arrangements, while retaining the right to pursue legal action against debtors with the verified ability to pay.

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