Feds’ Working Canadians Rebate might not go ahead due to prorogued parliament
Posted January 10, 2025 3:01 pm.
For those Canadians who were banking on an extra $250 lining their back pockets come spring, you might need to think again.
In a statement to CityNews Vancouver, the Ministry of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs says the Working Canadians Rebate will be delayed, if it goes ahead at all, due to the proroguing of Parliament.
“In the previous session of this Parliament, the Government proposed to deliver a $250 Working Canadians Rebate in early spring 2025,” said Jean-Sébastien Comeau, spokesperson for Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
“Given that Parliament has since been prorogued, and that no other political party has signalled their support for such a measure, the way forward will await a new Prime Minister and the opening of a new session of Parliament.”
Parliament was prorogued on Monday, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the governor-general and informed her that he would step down from being the Liberal Party leader, and subsequently prime minister once a new leader has been chosen.
In details released on Thursday, the party leadership vote to replace Trudeau will be held March 9, with the leader announced that same day, the National Board of Directors said.
The Working Canadians Rebate was announced in November, along with the GST holiday that cut the federal sales tax on a raft of items like toys and restaurant meals for two months. More than 18.7 million Canadians were set to receive the rebate.
The rebate itself has not been without its critics, as both the NDP and Bloc Québécois were pushing for the rebate to be expanded to those who are unemployed, and seniors and retirees.
