October 10, 2025
The federal government is expanding efforts to help low-income Canadians access key benefits by having the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) automatically prepare pre-filled tax returns for more people with simple tax situations, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday.
Speaking at a recreation centre in an Ottawa suburb alongside Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Carney said millions of lower-income Canadians don’t file their taxes each year — and as a result, miss out on important government benefits.
“Too often, the people who most need benefits don’t get them,” Carney said.
The expanded automatic filing program builds on a pilot project first launched under the Trudeau government in 2023. The CRA was directed to consult with community groups, tax professionals, and an advisory panel before designing the broader rollout.
According to Carney, the new system will begin with the 2026 tax year and will cover up to 5.5 million people by 2028.
In addition, Carney announced that the federal government will make the national school food program permanent, committing $216 million in annual funding.
The program, originally introduced by the Trudeau government with a $1 billion, five-year investment starting in the 2024–25 school year, aims to provide nutritious meals to 400,000 children each year.
Both initiatives were previewed ahead of the federal budget, which will be tabled on November 4.
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