As global trade disruptions continue to create uncertainty for businesses, the Government of Canada is focused on what we can control: building a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy. B.C.’s innovative businesses play a vital role in creating good jobs and supporting vibrant communities throughout the province. To remain competitive and resilient, they must continue to adapt and seize opportunities for growth.

Through the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), the Government of Canada is helping businesses across the country navigate ongoing trade challenges by boosting productivity, strengthening supply chains, and reaching new domestic and global markets.

In August, the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), announced an investment of over $30.5 million in RTRI funding for 24 businesses and organizations across B.C. to help them pivot to new pathways for growth, improve productivity, expand into new markets, reduce costs, and build more resilient supply chains. This investment will also help protect jobs in key sectors affected by global trade disruptions such as advanced manufacturing, forestry, and steel and aluminum.

Minister Robertson made the announcement at Quadrogen, a Burnaby-based clean technology company that develops systems to clean and upgrade biogas — a renewable gas made from organic waste — into energy. Quadrogen is receiving a $3.6 million PacifiCan investment to design, manufacture and demonstrate a lower-cost biogas clean-up and upgrading system for deployment in developing markets, including India. This will support skilled jobs in B.C., strengthen clean technology exports, and help reduce methane emissions.

This announcement includes investments for 23 additional B.C. businesses and organizations, including Mahler Machining and COTA Aviation. Mahler is a Coquitlam-based manufacturer of complex metal and plastic components for sectors such as aerospace, defence, medical devices, robotics, clean technology and forestry. An investment of $1 million will help Mahler modernize its facility by adding advanced equipment, automation, and new software to improve productivity and support expansion into new markets. COTA is a Parksville based, majority Indigenous owned company that manufactures specialized parts used for aircraft and defence applications. An investment of $1 million will help COTA purchase and install advanced equipment to produce gears for use in aircraft and defence systems in B.C.

Through the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, the Government of Canada is helping businesses turn today’s trade challenges into opportunities for growth. The investments announced today will provide B.C. businesses with the tools they need to adapt to an increasingly uncertain global environment, grow locally, diversify export markets, and create prosperity for British Columbians and all Canadians.

More details about these investments can be found in the backgrounder.

Find the full News Release here.

As a new school year begins, the Government of Canada’s National School Food Program is helping more children in British Columbia access nutritious food at school while bringing down costs for families.

For the 2026-27 school year, federal funding for provincial and territorial school food programs has doubled from 2024-25 levels to $140 million annually. Through the program, the federal government is helping provide meals to up to 400,000 more kids every year.

On average, participating families with two children in school can save an estimated $800 a year on grocery bills. Nutritious food at school also supports children’s health and learning while strengthening local economies, Canadian farmers and food producers.

The National School Food Program is part of broader federal action to make life more affordable for people in British Columbia. In British Columbia, 455,160 families are receiving the Canada Child Benefit, over 1.54 million people are receiving the Groceries and Essentials Benefit, and federal investments in early learning and child care have helped reduce child care fees by 50%, on average, saving families an average of $7,293 per child annually.

This school year, more than 10,000 schools – approximately 80% of provincial- and territorial-operated schools across Canada – are offering school food programs.

Far too many Canadians are struggling to find homes they can afford. Solving Canada’s housing crisis requires immediate action to bring down costs, cut red tape, and build homes more quickly. The Government of Canada has stepped up with a bold new approach to increase the supply of housing in Canada, and launched Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency that is building affordable housing at scale, while catalyzing a more productive homebuilding industry.

In February, Build Canada Homes, in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, through BC Housing, committed to building a minimum of 700 shovel-ready supportive and transitional homes set to begin construction within the following 12 months. Through this partnership, the governments will also explore delivering at least 400 affordable rental homes. Together, this represents 1,100 homes under this new partnership.

This announcement marks the first phase of a shared commitment between Canada and British Columbia to build more affordable housing, more quickly, leverage public lands, deploy flexible financial tools, and use modern methods of construction to accelerate the construction of thousands of homes for people who need it most.

Through this partnership, Build Canada Homes will contribute $170 million in capital costs, and the Province, through BC Housing, will contribute $640 million covering both capital and operating costs.

Build Canada Homes is increasing the supply of affordable housing, scaling up construction, and modernizing one of Canada’s most significant industries. By prioritizing projects and partnerships that invest in using sustainable Canadian materials, strengthening Canadian supply chains, and creating good jobs at every step of the homebuilding process, Build Canada Homes is championing the federal government’s Buy Canadian strategy – helping to build more homes and a stronger Canadian economy at the same time.

That’s how we Build Canada Strong.

For more information, see this news release.

The Prime Minister joined the Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, to announce a landmark new partnership between the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia. Over the next 10 years, Canada’s new government is investing more than $5 billion in British Columbia’s local infrastructure.
Through the Build Communities Strong Fund, Canada will invest nearly $1.6 billion – matched by British Columbia for a total of $3.2 billion – to help finance the infrastructure communities need to support more housing, while reducing municipal development charges that get passed onto home buyers, so more people can afford those homes. Under this agreement, development charges on multi-unit housing projects across British Columbia will be reduced by up to 50% for three years. To further increase housing supply, Canada and British Columbia will launch the new Canada-British Columbia Partnership on Condo Conversion to convert more than 2,200 vacant condo units into affordable homes across B.C.
The federal agreement also agreed to partner with the province to upgrade and expand hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centres, medical schools, and other critical health facilities. We will contribute more than $600 million so more British Columbians can get faster health care when they need it. Through the Canada Public Transit Fund, Canada will invest $2.5 billion over 10 years to build new transit projects and increase service access and frequency in high-traffic areas. The federal government will also contribute $100 million to build new infrastructure for Tumbler Ridge, including a new secondary school and renovations to the local health centre.
For more information, see this news release. 

MP Gregor Robertson’s Office can support you with a number of services, including:

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

Taxes (CRA)

Employment Insurance (EI)

Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

Old Age Security (OAS)

Passports

If you have any inquiries or require assistance with the above-listed services, please fill out the Parliamentary Authorization Form and send us the completed form at [email protected]. We will do our best to offer you guidance and support.

If you would like to book an appointment with one of our staff members regarding casework, please submit your request under the “Appointments” tab by filling out the form. Our staff will review your request and reach out to you as soon as possible.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office by email or phone.

The first Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit payment is June 5, 2026

The Honourable Wayne Long, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions) announced that eligible Canadians will receive a one-time GST/HST credit top-up on June 5, 2026. The payment is part of the transition to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit which will replace the GST/HST credit in July 2026. This top-up will be equal to 50% of the GST/HST credit for the 2025-26 benefit year.

Starting July 3, 2026, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit will offer higher payment amounts while keeping the eligibility and structure of the GST/HST credit. Quarterly payments will increase by 25% for the next five years.

Together, the one time and quarterly payments will offer ongoing financial support to more than 12 million recipients.

Who is Eligible?

If you (and your spouse if you have one) filed your 2024 tax return and were entitled to the GST/HST credit in January 2026, you should get the one-time top-up payment on June 5. This payment may still be called the GST/HST credit in your account.

For more information, see this news release.

Quick Facts:

Given the high volume of walk-ins to our office, we are gradually transitioning to an appointment-based approach. We appreciate your understanding and please do not hesitate to request an appointment with one of our staff members should you require any support with the federal services we offer.

In order to request an appointment with one of our staff members at the office, please complete all applicable fields in the Appointment Request Form and send it to [email protected]. We kindly ask you to ensure that the subject line of the email is “APPOINTMENT REQUEST FORM”.

As we review all requests, please be patient and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Canada’s new government launches the Build Communities Strong Fund
A full list of all projects announced across Canada in the first tranche of the BCSF can be found in the backgrounder.
The global economy is rapidly changing, and many Canadians are feeling the effects at home – including increased pressure on housing and infrastructure. In response, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control: increasing our housing supply and investing in modern and reliable infrastructure to build stronger, more affordable communities for Canadians.
In Budget 2025, the Government of Canada announced the Build Communities Strong Fund – a $51 billion investment to build the infrastructure that Canadians rely on every day. It will speed up the construction of hospitals, recreation centres, universities, and colleges that serve our communities; bridges that move our goods; and water and transit systems that keep our towns and cities running.
Delivering on this commitment, the Prime Minister, officially launched the Build Communities Strong Fund – and announced its first project – the new Embleton Community Centre and Park in Brampton, Ontario. This is a $64 million investment to build what will become a 175,000-square-foot community centre with a pool, gymnasium, fitness centre, childcare facility, as well as various community spaces and outdoor recreational amenities. This is the first of a series of 13 projects under the Build Communities Strong Fund across the country – with $300 million in federal funding and more to come in the weeks ahead.
The Fund will be a force multiplier in infrastructure – with funding that will be matched by nearly $17 billion from provinces, and additional billions leveraged through municipal and territorial partnerships as well as private capital. Combined with provincial matching, the projects through the Fund will support an average of 42,000 jobs per year – from engineering to the skilled trades. The Fund will boost Canada’s GDP by $95 billion over the next decade. That means approximately $12 billion in infrastructure investments every year for the next eight years – nearly double the previous eight years.
The Build Communities Strong Fund delivers funding through three major streams:
  1. A provincial and territorial stream: $17.2 billion over 10 years to plan, build, and deliver critical public infrastructure projects across provinces and territories through bilateral agreements. Provinces will be required to cost-match federal investments and take action to reduce the cost of construction, including for housing-related infrastructure, through reductions to development charges where they pose a barrier to housing construction. This stream includes funding for:
    • Health-related infrastructure: A dedicated investment of $5 billion over three years in health infrastructure funding to prioritise upgrades to critical health infrastructure, including hospitals, urgent care centres, and facilities for palliative care, mental health care, and long-term care.
    • Housing-enabling infrastructure: Projects that support and enable housing supply, including water and wastewater systems, roads and bridges, public transit, and community infrastructure.
    • Infrastructure at colleges and universities: The construction of new facilities or rehabilitation of aging facilities and upgrades to learning and research spaces.
  2. A direct delivery stream: $6 billion over 10 years to deliver regionally significant projects and important local infrastructure, including large building retrofits, climate adaptation infrastructure, and community infrastructure such as new community and recreational spaces. Eligible project proponents can submit proposals starting today.
  3. A community stream: $27.8 billion over 10 years for the construction and rehabilitation of essential local infrastructure such as local roads, bridges, water systems, and community centres.
Canada’s new Buy Canadian Policy will apply to the Build Communities Strong Fund, ensuring that more public dollars are reinvested into our economy – creating Canadian careers and boosting Canadian industries.
By working in partnership with provinces and territories, Canada’s government is making the investments needed to build more homes, strengthen communities, and grow a more resilient economy – to build Canada strong.
Please amplify the attached shareables! For more information, see this news release.
Quick facts: