The Toronto Star has learned that Ontario’s fall economic statement released on October 30, 2024 will include spending $3.2B to give every member of taxpaying families – 15 million Ontarians (12.5M and 2.5M children) – a tax-free payment of $200 in January to February 2025 to “offset rising costs” while an early election call is expected shortly after.
The timing aligns with Ontarians feeling the pinch of employment insurance deductions and holiday credit card bills.
Amount
A family of 4 would receive $800 in cash. A family of 4 who qualify for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) would receive an additional $200 for each child under 18, for a total of $1,200.
Eligibility
Those eligible for the tax-free taxpayer rebate must be 18 years or older at the end of 2023; be a resident in Ontario on December 31, 2023; have filed their 2023 Income Tax and Benefit Return by December 31, 2024; and not be bankrupt or incarcerated in 2024.
Timeline
October 29, 2024 – Ford government announces taxpayer rebates, says families receiving Canada Child Benefit (CCB) will get $400 per child under 18
Those eligible for the tax-free taxpayer rebate must be 18 years or older at the end of 2023; be a resident in Ontario on December 31, 2023; have filed their 2023 Income Tax and Benefit Return by December 31, 2024; and not be bankrupt or incarcerated in 2024.
Families who qualify for a Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment for 2024 would receive an additional $200 for each eligible child under age 18. The taxpayer rebate payment for children would be made to the person(s) who receives the CCB in respect of the child, who must be a resident of Ontario. In the case of a shared custody arrangement in respect of a child, payments would be split based on the most recent CCB available.
We’re doing everything we can to keep costs down for Ontario families, but the federal carbon tax and high interest rates are still hurting taxpayers across the province
This $200 taxpayer rebate will give Ontario taxpayers, especially families with children, some much-deserved help so they can make ends meet.
Premier Doug Ford
October 22, 2024 – Ford government working with CRA to mail out cheques in late January or early February 2025
October 17, 2024 – Doug Ford says putting money in peoples pockets will stimulate the economy
Put money into people’s pockets and they’ll go out and do something as simple as going out for dinner, maybe buying your kids sneakers or clothes, or maybe putting a little renovation on your house
And they might do that because they have money in their pockets. The same with businesses. If you put money into businesses, they’ll invest into their people, into technology, into their infrastructure, and they grow. That’s what creates economic strength
Premier Doug Ford
October 16, 2024 – Toronto Star learns Ford government plans to give $200 to all 16 million Ontarians in 2025 at a cost of $3.2B
Mike Harris’s government issued $200 “Taxpayer Dividend” cheques to everyone who paid Ontario taxes in 1999 – over 5 million Ontarians – on October 6, 2000, costing at least $1B in the 2000 Ontario Budget.
Open Council commentary
In Ontario in 2024:
- Ford government spent $1.7B less than planned on health care in 2022 and allocated $21.3B less than will be needed to fund current health sector programs and deliver on its program expansion commitments in hospitals, home care and long-term care from 2022-23 to 2027-28.
- Health spending per capita in Ontario was $4,889 in 2022, the lowest in Canada and $876 (15.2%) below the average of the other provinces.
- 2.5 million Ontarians don’t have a family doctor
- Teacher shortage across Ontario
- ER wait times are up
- 1,199 ER and urgent care clinic closures January 1 to November 24, 2023
- The 2024-25 budget will be a $9.8B deficit, instead of the $200M surplus that was promised in the 2023 Budget
Meanwhile, since they have not yet balanced the budget the Ford government is not giving you a cut of the “profits” (like when Mike Harris’s government issued $200 “Taxpayer Dividend” cheques to everyone who paid Ontario taxes in 1999).
Instead, the Ford government is spending $3.2B of taxpayers’ collective debt by sending out cheques before he calls an election.
Critical reception
Critics argue that this move is akin to buying votes with taxpayers debt while much-needed funding is withheld from healthcare services and education.
Past examples
- March 22, 2022 – Quebec Premier François Legault’s government issued $500 to all adults who earn less than $100,000 a year to help them cop with inflation. The 2022 Quebec provincial election was 6 months later in which he won a majority.
- 2006 – Alberta Premier Ralph Klein’s government issued $400 Prosperity Bonus (or Ralph bucks) to almost 3M Albertan residents after a massive oil-fuelled provincial budget surplus.
- May 2, 2000 – Ontario Premier Mike Harris’s government issued $200 “Taxpayer Dividend” cheques to everyone who paid taxes in Ontario in 1999 after balancing the budget for the first time in 30 years.
Take action
Some commenters suggested they’d donate the $200 handout to another provincial political party.
Donate to a political party
If you donate $200 to a provincial political party, you would would get $150 (75%) back in income tax credits:
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