Sudbury MP says government’s affordability measures a boost for northern agriculture and farming

Sudbury – Member of Parliament for Sudbury and Chair of Northern Ontario Caucus, Viviane Lapointe, says there is a lot to unpack in the federal government’s new affordability measures announced last week.

“The affordability measures do two important things for Canadians: First, it puts real money into people’s pockets right away. Second, it will help bring down costs, specifically, food costs. When families have more breathing room, that makes a real difference, not just month to month, but in how secure they feel overall.”

More money for Canadians - The Groceries and Essentials Benefit

Lapointe says the immediate money boost to Canadian families will come from the Groceries and Essentials Benefit – a one-time payment of 50% of the GST Credit, and a 25% hike to the Credit for five years. The Groceries and Essentials Benefit is aimed at low-income families who most need the help. The Benefit will help them deal with the high costs of groceries and rent.

This means a family of four will receive close to $2,000 in 2026, followed by approximately $1,400 each year for the next four years. A single adult will receive close to $1,000 in 2026, and about $700 annually over the following four years.

“Right now, the costs that people are most struggling with are food prices and rent. That is where they are really feeling squeezed,” noted Lapointe.

Bringing down the cost of food – Strengthening our local Food Supply Chains

Lapointe said tackling affordability shouldn’t just be about short-term relief, it’s also about fixing the things that drive food prices up in the first place.

The federal government’s affordability measures is also tackling food insecurity and strengthening local supply chains to lower food costs. “Producing more food in Canada, closer to home, means fewer supply shocks and more stable prices at the checkout line,” said Lapointe.

 The government is setting aside $500 million from the Strategic Response Fund to help businesses address the costs of supply chain disruptions. The government will also create a $150 million Food Security Fund under the existing Regional Tariff Response Initiative for small and medium enterprises. These funds will be delivered through FedNor, providing targeted support for northern Ontario.

Another measure aimed at lowering food prices is immediate expensing for greenhouse buildings. This allows producers to fully write off new greenhouse investments, encouraging more domestic food production.

“Boosting our local farming and agriculture and producing more of our own food is a great way to bring down food costs. Currently, about 75% of fresh produce we purchase in our local grocery stores is imported. That number is even higher during winter months. The importing of food is a big contributor to food inflation.” said Lapointe.

The government is also taking steps to address immediate food insecurity while tackling its root causes:

1. To ease immediate pressures on food banks, the government is investing $20 million in the Local Food Infrastructure Fund. This supports food banks and other national, regional, and local organisations to deliver more nutritious food to families in need.

2. To tackle food insecurity, we are developing a National Food Security Strategy – one that strengthens domestic food production and improves access to affordable, nutritious food. This strategy will also include measures to implement unit price labelling and support the work of the Competition Bureau in monitoring and enforcing competition in the market, including food supply chains.

“We’re acting now to help people afford groceries and rent, and we’re planning ahead to protect families from higher costs,” said Lapointe. “These practical measures mean more affordability for people today and greater economic stability for the future.”