Friday October 10, 2025 | OTTAWA, ON [Posted at 7:00 am PT | Updated 8:38 am]
News analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Three aspects of the upcoming federal budget were previewed this morning in Ottawa by Prime Minster Mark Carney.
In a school gymnasium he highlighted minor tweaks to existing financial programs aimed at supporting income-stressed families.
“Together we are building a stronger, safer more resilient Canada,” Carney said, also highlighting that Thanksgiving weekend is just ahead.
- Automatic benefit filing: Automatic federal benefits to help our most vulnerable get the money they’re entitled to. For more than 5.5 million low income Canadians. It’s about ensuring that all Canadians file their income taxes to make sure they get available benefits. New automated details, then get all the benefits to which they’re entitled. Pre-filing tax returns in the 2026 tax year, by the 2028 tax year. Hundreds of millions of dollars of benefits in the next few years, helping our most vulnerable get the supports that they need.
- National School Food Program: National school food program permanent. No child should go to school hungry. Healthy meals to over 400,000 children. Families with two children will save about $800 on grocery each year, said Carney, adding that the program has been “temporary with only three years remaining”. There is now “funding in legislation to make it permanent” but this depends on “continuing to work with provinces territories to expand this program”. “This is an essential program,” said Carney. “It’s an ongoing service.”
- Canada Strong Pass: The Canada Strong pass for free (or reduced fee) access to national parks is being renewed for 2026 — and will also be available in the 2025 winter holiday season starting December 12 through to January 15, 2026. Carney described the program as an opportunity for Canadians to see “stunning national parks, fascinating historic sites, and world class museums… to see more of our country’s best for less”. Some of the current statistics he provided include boosting rail usage by 13%, parks visits up on average by 15%; rail discount of 25% will continue for youth ages 18 to 24.
The first full federal budget under Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled for release on November 4, 2025.
Carbon tax rebate is being missed:
In the news release issued after the Ottawa media availability, it is stated that the carbon tax (that Carney cancelled early in his tenure) was “divisive”. Meanwhile, people who depended on the carbon tax rebate that arrived every 3 months by direct deposit into their bank accounts are noticing that missing revenue now.
That is a direct hit against low-income families and does not seem to be replaced in any way so far in the Carney pre-budget strategy.
The so-called divisiveness of the carbon tax was that Canadians with a steady earning capacity were not receiving the rebates. The removal of that rebate for low-income Canadians could be seen as being counter to the goal of ‘helping Canadians’.
As well, Provinces like BC which relied on carbon tax revenues are experiencing financial challenges as a result.
