By: Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, MP Halifax West
I want to wish my constituents a very happy New Year filled with peace, prosperity, and positivity. I hope you enjoyed some quality time with your loved ones over the past few weeks and got to take a well-deserved break. Use the start of the year to reflect, chart a new course, and set yourself up for success in 2025!
SHARING MY GRATITUDE
I want to acknowledge the many organizations and volunteers in Halifax West who devoted their time and efforts to giving back to those in need over the holidays. I can’t tell you how proud I am of the folks at the Fairview Resource Centre, Hillside United Church, the Salvation Army, and so many other organizations who reached out to their networks and worked to collect donations that added light to the lives of local families this Christmas.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER, BUT TAX RELIEF ISN’T
In December, we responded to Canadians’ call for relief by removing the GST/HST from a wide array of common household purchases, including: children’s clothing, footwear, car seats, and diapers; printed newspapers and books; snack foods, desserts, sweets, juice, salads, sandwiches, and prepared foods; restaurant and takeout meals; children’s toys, video games, and gaming consoles; and beer, cider, coolers, and wine. This saved families money at the grocery store and with their Christmas shopping, but it’s not coming to an end quite yet.
Until February 15, these tax reductions will be in place. That means it’ll be cheaper to check out a local restaurant, and I encourage you to do so. The tax pause is expected to inject $1.5 billion into Canada’s restaurant sector and there are plenty of fantastic local businesses that would welcome your patronage between now and Valentine’s Day.
If you own a business and have questions about the tax pause, you can get answers by calling the GST/HST assistance line at 1-800-959-8287.
DELIVERING MORE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
At the federal level, we’ve been working hard to deliver more direct support to Canadians. That support takes many forms, including the planned expansion of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (scheduled for later this year!), the delivery of the first Canada Disability Benefit payments (beginning in July), and the launch of low-cost loans of up to $80,000 to help homeowners add secondary suites. I also hope to see a pharmacare agreement signed with Nova Scotia this year, so that residents can start saving money on their medications.
Thank you for your continued support and Happy New Year!
