Tuesday 14 July 2026
Help Shape Canada’s Budget 2026 To Build Our Community
by Yasir Naqvi, MP, Ottawa Centre
This summer, with the House of Commons on break, I have spent much of my time at doorsteps, through emails and calls, and at community events, listening to people across Ottawa Centre. What I keep hearing—whether from seniors managing a fixed income or young families weighing their first home purchase—comes back to the same three things: affordability, opportunity, and security.
This past year, we made real progress on all these three issues, and with Budget 2026 set to be tabled this fall, I want to share what that progress has meant, both across the country and right here in our community, while also hearing from you before the new budget is written.
Making life more affordable
Affordability continues to be the priority I hear about most. Our middle-class tax cut is now benefiting 22 million Canadians, putting up to $840 a year back into family budgets. In addition, the GST Rebate for first-time home buyers, which became law in March, eliminates GST on new homes up to $1 million, saving buyers up to $50,000. It is already helping young people in Ottawa Centre take their first step into the housing market.
The new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit increased by 25 percent this July, meaning a family of four can now receive up to $1,890 this year and a single person up to $950. We also made the National School Food Program permanent, providing meals for up 400,000 children across Canada, including students in schools in our community. Starting this tax year, Automatic Federal Benefits will reach up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians by 2028 without requiring a tax filing, and the Canadian Dental Care Plan continues to expand.
Growing our economy, opening new markets
Ottawa Centre is also home to many entrepreneurs, exporters, and small businesses looking for room to grow, and that is where our trade agreements matter. Canada has ratified the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Indonesia, a market of 280 million people, which will cut or eliminate tariffs on nearly all Canadian exports, opening real opportunities for Canadian farmers, manufacturers, and service providers. Our free trade agreement with Ecuador is moving towards force this year, and talks with the Philippines, ASEAN and Mercosur are targeting deals by year’s end. We have also deepened the EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership, opening the door for Canadian firms, including those in our region’s technology sector, to compete for joint research and procurement work.
Investing in Ottawa Centre
Federal funding continues to support building of new affordable homes at Gladstone Village, LeBreton Flats, and Rochester Heights. Our $180 million investment in OC Transpo’s bus fleet means shorter wait times and cleaner buses across the city. In addition, we are investing $530,000 through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund to support Folk Canada, the Ottawa Children’s Festival, and the Ottawa Jazz Festival, keeping our city’s arts and music scene thriving.
Canada Summer Jobs program gives young people in our community their first foothold in the workforce. This year, the program is supporting 193 projects and 583 jobs in Ottawa Centre, totalling $3,061,923 in federal funding for local employers and the students they hired.
Help shape Budget 2026
None of this work is finished, and Budget 2026 is a real chance to shape what comes next. The federal government has opened pre-budget consultations, and I want to hear from you. Please share your input on key priorities, including boosting investment and competition, strengthening our sovereignty, and addressing the most pressing economic challenges facing Canadians today. You can share your thoughts through the online portal at www.canada.ca/yourbudget before September 8th.
The momentum we have built this year is real, and it is ours to build on together. In a world that keeps shifting under our feet, our community in Ottawa Centre is doing what it has always done: showing up, adapting, and looking out for one another. I am proud to keep building that Canada, and that Ottawa Centre, with you: more affordable, more resilient, and stronger for everyone. Please have a safe and pleasant summer!