Minister Hajdu Highlights Affordability Measures and New Groceries Benefit in Windsor

Minister Hajdu Visits Windsor to Discuss Affordability

The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, is in Windsor, Ontario, today, Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Her visit focuses on the Government of Canada's plan to foster a stronger economy and enhance affordability for Canadians. Minister Hajdu is scheduled to highlight the recently introduced Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and other government initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity.

The event is taking place at the UHC - Hub of Opportunities, located at 6955 Cantelon Drive.

Details of the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit

A key focus of Minister Hajdu's discussions is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, a new measure designed to provide financial relief to low- and modest-income Canadians. This benefit, formerly known as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Credit, received Royal Assent on February 13, 2026, following the expedited passage of Bill C-19, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Act.

The benefit includes two main components:

• A one-time top-up payment, equivalent to a 50% increase in the annual 2025-26 value of the GST Credit. This payment is expected to be disbursed as early as possible in spring 2026, no later than June, providing $3.1 billion in immediate assistance to approximately 12 million Canadians.
• An ongoing 25% increase in regular quarterly payments for five years, commencing in July 2026. This enhancement will deliver an additional $8.6 billion in support over the 2026-27 to 2030-31 period, extending to an estimated 500,000 new individuals and families.

The benefit is indexed to inflation and aims to offset grocery cost increases beyond overall inflation since the pandemic. For example, a single senior with a $25,000 net income could receive up to $950 for the 2026-27 benefit year, while a couple with two children and a $40,000 net income could receive up to $1,890.

Broader Government Affordability and Economic Initiatives

Beyond the Groceries and Essentials Benefit, the Government of Canada, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, is implementing a range of measures to build a stronger economy and make life more affordable. These initiatives include:

• Making the National School Food Program permanent, which aims to provide meals for up to 400,000 children annually and save participating families with two children an estimated $800 per year on groceries.
• Introducing Automatic Federal Benefits starting in the 2026 tax year, ensuring up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians automatically receive benefits they qualify for.
• Providing $20 million to the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to support food banks and other organizations in delivering nutritious food.
• Developing a National Food Security Strategy to strengthen domestic food production and improve access to affordable, nutritious food.
• Measures to lower the cost of food production, such as immediate expensing for greenhouse buildings.
• Other broader affordability efforts include cutting taxes for 22 million middle-class Canadians, eliminating the GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes up to $1 million, and cancelling the federal consumer carbon tax effective April 1, 2025.

Workforce Development and Local Impact

During her visit, Minister Hajdu also announced measures to support workers and employers facing challenges from tariffs and other economic pressures. She highlighted the creation of five additional Workforce Alliances in priority sectors, including housing and construction, transportation and supply chains, energy and electricity, mining and minerals, and the care economy. These alliances build on a previous announcement by Prime Minister Carney regarding a Workforce Alliance in Advanced Manufacturing.

Minister Hajdu met with advanced manufacturing stakeholders in Windsor's auto sector to discuss investments in training. Additionally, the Government of Canada is now accepting applications for the new Worker Retention Grant for Work-Sharing Employers, a $102.7 million investment over two years designed to help businesses avoid layoffs.