Prime Minister Carney announces new measures to lower costs for Canadians and help you get ahead
Press Release
October 10, 2025
In a rapidly changing and uncertain world, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control. We are protecting our communities and our country. We are building our economy with major projects and millions more homes. We are empowering Canadians with lower costs and new opportunities to help you get ahead. We cannot control what other nations do, but we can control what we choose to build – and we are building Canada Strong.
To deliver that change, we will take bold action and make responsible choices. Budget 2025 will spend less on government operations and reduce waste, so we can invest more to grow our economy and to protect the programs that make life more affordable for you. To that end, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced key measures today from the upcoming federal Budget that will lower costs and protect essential programs that empower Canadians:
- Starting automatic federal benefits for the 2026 tax year that will reach up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians by the 2028 tax year. The CRA will automatically file these individuals’ taxes to ensure they receive government benefits they qualify for, such as the GST/HST credit, the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and more – including benefits that these Canadians may not be aware they are entitled to.
- Making the National School Food Program permanent to provide meals for up to 400,000 children. This program ensures kids are fed healthy meals at school and saves families with two children $800 per year on groceries. By making it permanent, we will work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to expand the program into more schools across Canada.
- Renewing the Canada Strong Pass for the holidays and for summer 2026 so children and young families can discover Canada with lower costs. It will be renewed from December 12, 2025, to January 15, 2026, and then again for summer 2026. This also helps students travelling home for the holidays with a 25% discount on VIA Rail for young adults aged 18 to 24. With the Canada Strong Pass, Canadians can visit national, provincial, and territorial museums, historic sites, parks, and travel by rail for free or at a reduced cost.
These measures build on measures already taken – including cancelling the divisive consumer carbon tax, cutting taxes for 22 million middle-class Canadians, and eliminating GST for first-time homebuyers. Canada’s new government will remain relentlessly focused on empowering Canadians with lower costs and new opportunities to help you get ahead.
Quotes
“Our Budget will build a stronger Canada. It is a plan to protect our communities and our country and invest in the major projects that will build our economy. It will empower Canadians by helping you get ahead, bringing down your costs, and making your life more affordable. We cannot control what other nations do. We control what we choose to build. We are building Canada Strong.”
The Right Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
“Canadians asked for change – real change that makes life more affordable. The measures announced today will help families across the country and build on the middle-class tax cut and the removal of the GST for first-time home buyers. Budget 2025 will set out our plan to spend less so we can invest more in Canada’s long-term growth and a stronger future.”
The Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue
“A key priority of our new government is to lower costs for Canadians across the country. Today, we’re announcing measures to help people keep more of their hard-earned money – including easier access to federal benefits, making the National School Food Program permanent for children, and renewing the Canada Strong Pass for the upcoming holidays and summer 2026. By making life more affordable for families and helping Canadians explore and enjoy their own country, we’re building a stronger, more united, and prouder Canada together.”
The Hon. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
“Lowering costs is about giving people more room to breathe and more power to shape their future. Whether it’s saving on everyday costs or making public services easier to access, these changes help families, strengthen communities, and build a fairer and more prosperous Canada.”
The Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
“Canada’s new government is delivering on its promise to make the National School Food Program permanent. This direct investment in families ensures more kids get nutritious meals at school, while bringing down costs for parents. Because when children have the best start in life, all Canadians benefit.”
The Hon. Anna Gainey, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)
“Canada’s new government is delivering on its commitment to cut red tape and make life more affordable for Canadians. By implementing automatic federal benefits, we’re making it faster and easier for Canadians to get the federal benefits they are entitled to.”
The Hon. Wayne Long, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Quick facts
- The Government of Canada’s Budget 2025 will be tabled in the House of Commons by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, François-Philippe Champagne, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
- Last summer, the Canada Strong Pass led to increased visits across national, provincial, and territorial museums, historic sites, and parks, as well as increased rail travel. This included an average 15% increase in attendance across all participating national museums, compared to 2024, and more than 50,000 rail travel Canada Strong Pass bookings.
- The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will prepare a pre-filled tax return in My Account for about 1 million individuals with simple tax situations starting in 2027, scaling to 2.5 million individuals in 2028 and approximately 5.5 million by 2029.
- Announced in Budget 2024 with an investment of $1 billion over five years, the National School Food Program (NSFP) aims to provide meals to 400,000 more kids every year, in collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners. With today’s announcement, the program will receive permanent funding of $216.6 million per year, starting in 2029-30.
- As of March 2025, the Government of Canada has signed bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories on the NSFP. Many provinces and territories are already using funding provided through these agreements to support children across Canada this school year.
Related product
Associated links
IBF5
