2019 Federal Budget highlights

29 March 2019

Investing in the Middle Class, the federal government’s 2019 Budget, builds on progress made with the government’s earlier commitments such as the Canada Child Benefit, the National Housing Strategy, and the recent National Poverty Reduction Strategy (which, among other measures, set an Official Poverty Line and a set of key indicators on poverty reduction).

Budget 2019 also continues the government’s efforts to incorporate Gender-Based Analysis+ (GBA+) in the policy and budget development process, and to act towards greater gender equality in areas such as poverty reduction and health.

Budget 2019 includes a number of specific measures aimed at making life more affordable and helping more people succeed.

Highlights: Impacting Financial Empowerment in the 2019 Budget:

Creation of a new Canada Training Benefit, including a Canada Training (tax) Credit, an Employment Insurance Training Support Benefit and a commitment to work with provincial/territorial governments to support paid leave and job protection while workers leave for training
Improved GIS earning exemption
Auto-enrolment in CPP for people 70+ who have not already applied
New measures to strengthen pension protection in the event of corporate bankruptcies/insolvency
New Horizons for Seniors program for funding programs to improve seniors’ quality of life, such as financial literacy classes and education
Targeted outreach by CRA on the Canada Workers Benefit and its provision to allow for advance payments
New Canada Housing Benefit starting in 2020 for financial relief to vulnerable people
Proposed removal of the time limitation on the period that an RDSP may remain open after a beneficiary becomes ineligible for the DTC. Proposed elimination of the requirement for medical certification that the beneficiary is likely to become eligible for the DTC in the future in order for the plan to remain open
Kinship care providers to be considered “parent” of a child in their care for the purpose of receiving Canada Workers Benefit, financial support received through kinship care programs to be tax-exempt and exempt from income calculations for federal benefits/credits
More support for veterans to improve awareness and take-up of benefits they are eligible for
Investments in service improvements at Service Canada and CRA to reduce wait times, support tax service providers, etc.
Commitment to review findings of the advisory committee and consultation on open banking
Creation of a new governance council for FCAC