Grocery rebate falls short, businesses looking for post-Fiona support: P.E.I. reacts to federal budget

Help being offered in the federal budget for Canadians struggling with the rising cost of groceries doesn't go far enough, say some Island food banks, and local businesses were hoping for some help and didn't get it.

The budget was tabled Tuesday. The federal government is projecting a $40.1 billion deficit, about $10 billion more than its forecast in the fall fiscal update.

The budget includes a one-time grocery rebate, an extension of the GST rebate program, that will provide up to $467 for a family of four, and $234 for single Canadians with no children.

It's not enough, said Ronnie McIntosh of the Souris Food Bank.

"We need something on a regular basis," he said.

"At least on a monthly basis, if they were getting a food voucher credit on a monthly basis, it would be significant help."

The federal government may have its hands somewhat tied due to the current economic situation, said McIntosh, but "there are still folks who are struggling."

Mike MacDonald, executive director of The Upper Room Hospitality Ministry in Charlottetown, said the rebate will help some, but he's concerned it won't be enough for many with urgent needs.

The Upper Room Food Bank is the busiest it's ever been, he said. it served more than 825 families in February, and has been dishing up about 4,000 meals a month in its soup kitchen.

"There's a lot of people that are really in trouble and are forced to make hard decisions and, you know, they're either not able to make rent payments, mortgage payments, they're not able to buy enough food — and certainly not enough healthy food," MacDonald said.

"A one-time payment isn't going to be enough."

Labour shortages a priority, chamber says

Representatives of the Island business community said they would like to see more supports for the local industry, which is facing its own issues.

The Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce said its pre-budget submission to the federal government emphasized continued immigration support as a way to address labour shortages.

"We're encouraged by the aggressive targets that the federal government has laid out welcoming immigrants. But with those aggressive targets, we need immigration supports," said the Chamber's interim CEO Kim Horrelt.

The chamber would have liked to see supports specially tailored toward helping P.E.I. businesses in the wake of post-tropical storm Fiona.

"Certainly almost everybody was impacted by revenue loss or production loss, and then there were those that suffered damage as well," she said.

"So we're looking for support from the impacts of Hurricane Fiona, but also we want to look forward to continue being more proactive rather than reactive about storms in the future."

Dental care expansion price tag more realistic, dental association says

The budget also laid out some details about the planned expansion to dental care for households with an annual income of less than $90,000.

The federal government plans to cover all Canadians under 18 and seniors by the end of the fiscal year. The estimated cost of the program has risen to $13 billion.

Brian Barrett, executive director of the Dental Association of Prince Edward Island, said the increase was necessary.

"[It's] certainly closer to the reality of what it will cost to do what they want to do," he said.

"It's good to see anything that the federal government does to help people who can't access their dental care through a private plan with their employer or with any other provincial plans or out of their own pocket, because that takes away from funds that they may want to use for something else."

Barrett said he would like to see the federal funds go toward improving the province's existing dental program rather than taking away any of the benefits that already exist in P.E.I. to impose a new program.

He would also like to have seen measures that would increase the supply of dental hygienists and assistants for dentists, who could be taking care of more people because of the plan.