Ontario taxpayers can expect to receive $200 cheques in the mail early next year.
The $3-billion plan was announced Tuesday by Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy ahead of Wednesday's fall economic statement, which serves as a mini budget.
Speaking AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides, Jay Goldberg, Ontario director of Canadian Taxpayers Federation says this is good news for taxpayers.
"Look, anytime the government is making an announcement about leaving more money in people's pockets instead of giving billions more away in corporate welfare for example, it's a good thing. Obviously we'd like to see something more long term."
Goldberg called for the government to implement more permanent measures.
"One of the problems with a cheque like this is that it's a one time measure, right? So it's not something longterm, it's not something that's going to be in place going forward regardless of circumstance, or regardless of what a future government is, so I think definitely the Ford government should be looking at something like an income tax cut."
Ford has refused to rule out the possibility of an election sooner than the next fixed date of June 2026, and suggests the rebate is not tied to a possible early election.
Andrew Dowie, Windsor-Tecumseh Conservative MPP was asked on AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show if the government was trying to buy votes.
"If it's the right thing to do, does it matter? We need to have people paying their bills, and $200 could go a long way. A lot of people will scoff at that. When I talk to someone who's on the cusp of not paying their rent because they don't have enough money in the bank, this can be a life saver."
Dowie says he's hearing from his constituents just how badly people are hurting.
"People are worried sick. They're going to lose their house, they're going to lose their job, and this provides a little bit of relief. This is a government recognizing that the relief is needed."
Ford says everyone who filed 2023 tax returns should expect to receive a $200 cheque, plus an additional $200 per child.
-With files from The Canadian Press