SAINT JOHN
The Honourable Wayne Long, Secretary of State responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions, will highlight affordability measures from Budget 2026 at an event in Saint John, N.B., on Monday.
A media availability will follow the event, according to an advisory from the Department of Finance Canada.
The appearance links the government's budget messaging to household affordability, a central theme in its fiscal plan.
Budget 2026, titled "Masters of our destiny," includes several measures aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures.
It provides a one-time 50 percent increase to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit for the 2026-27 benefit year, to be delivered in early 2027.
That enhancement will provide up to $339 for a single person without children and up to $679 for a couple with two children.
The budget also promises "the most ambitious effort in a generation" to improve Canada's tax system, aiming to make it easier to file and access benefits.
It includes measures to give up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians easier access to federal benefits through automatic benefits and pre-filled returns.
Other affordability investments include a long-term housing strategy with nearly $45 billion over 11 years and a $2 billion investment for a National Heat Pump Rebate.
The heat pump program is projected to help up to 820,000 households switch to heat pumps and support home retrofits.
"Being masters of our destiny is about having the confidence to build on our strengths and shape our own future," said Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne in a statement released on Saturday.
"Budget 2026 builds on those strengths by unlocking investment, building more at home, strengthening our energy and natural resource advantage, and helping Canadian businesses grow and compete on the world stage."
The budget also includes $1.2 billion in 2027-28 to extend mental health, addictions, and home and community care agreements.
Another $610.3 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, is allocated to maintain and expand the Nutrition North Canada program.
On creating opportunities, the budget introduces a new Build Canada Workers Benefit, which it estimates will lift 240,000 people out of poverty.
It also funds opportunities for 175,000 young Canadians this fiscal year through Canada Summer Jobs and other youth employment programs.
The event in Saint John gives the government a regional platform in New Brunswick to discuss these national priorities.
Long's portfolio includes the Canada Revenue Agency and financial institutions, areas key to delivering many of the budget's measures.
Separately, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson highlighted the same budget measures in St. John's on Saturday.
"We know that the cost of everyday essentials are rising," Thompson said.
"It affects household budgets and families' ability to plan for the future. That's why Budget 2026 reflects our commitment to making life more affordable today, as we build an even stronger future for Newfoundland and Labrador."
The budget projects a $62.3-billion deficit and includes $151.5 billion in new spending over the coming years. e2gold.ca reported last week that the plan bets on boosting private-sector investment through tax cuts and other supports.
Media are asked to arrive for the Saint John event no later than 9:45 a.m. AT on Monday, and registration is mandatory.
This story was written by the e2gold.ca newsroom from reporting by Department of Finance Canada, Yahoo News and Traders Union. Quotes are checked word for word against that reporting.