Liberals will hike supplementary pensions for low-income seniors, Trudeau says

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Published August 26, 2021 at 10:21 am

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OTTAWA — Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is courting the votes of Canada’s oldest citizens — those most likely to actually cast a ballot — with a promise to increase federal aid to lower-income seniors.

Trudeau is in Quebec City this morning, where he is promising a re-elected Liberal government will hike the guaranteed income supplement by $500 for individuals and $750 for senior couples.

The Liberals say this will help 2.2 million seniors.

In last spring’s budget the Liberals made good on a 2019 campaign promise to hike the Old Age Pension by 10 per cent for seniors over the age of 75, but that doesn’t kick in until next year.

A one-time payment of $500 was sent earlier this month to seniors over 75 who qualify for the pension.

As Trudeau nears the end of the second week of the campaign the Liberals are facing more adversity than they expected from voters, amid the crisis in Afghanistan and ongoing anxiety about the fourth wave of COVID-19.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2021.

Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press

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