Promise tracker: What the parties are pitching on the campaign trail

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This article was published 15/08/2021 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – A running list of specific promises announced by the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP and Green party since the official start of the federal election campaign on Aug. 15.

Liberals

Aug. 16: Extend the Canada recovery hiring program to March 31, 2022. Provide the tourism industry with temporary wage and rent support of up to 75 per cent. Launch an arts and culture recovery program that will match ticket sales for performing arts, live theatres and other cultural venues to compensate for reduced capacity. Extend COVID-related insurance coverage for media production stoppages. Implement a transitional support program for workers from the creative industry.

Conservatives

Aug. 16: Balance the budget by 2031.

Recover one million jobs lost during the pandemic. Pay up to 50 per cent of the salary of new hires for six months after the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ends. Provide a five per cent investment tax credit for any capital investment made in 2022 and 2023. Provide a 25 per cent tax credit on amounts of up to $100,000 that Canadians personally invest in a small business over the next two years. Provide loans of up to $200,000 for small and medium businesses in the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors, with up to 25 per cent forgiven.

Accelerate domestic development and production of vaccines. Prioritize the signing of contracts for booster shots. Deploy rapid testing at all border entry points and airports to screen new arrivals.

Scrap all Liberal government child-care funding deals with the provinces and territories and provide a refundable tax credit covering up to 75 per cent of the cost of child care for lower-income families.

Introduce the Canada Seniors Care benefit, paying $200 per month per household to any Canadian who is living with and taking care of a parent over the age of 70.

Double the Canada Workers Benefit up to a maximum of $2,800 for individuals or $5,000 for families and pay it as a quarterly direct deposit. Launch a “Super EI” that temporarily provides more generous benefits when a province goes into recession. Increase EI sickness benefits to 52 weeks for those suffering from a serious illness.

Build one million homes in the next three years.

Scrap the carbon tax in favour of a “personal low carbon savings account.”

Meet with the premiers within the first 100 days of forming government to propose a new health agreement that boosts the annual growth rate of the Canada Health Transfer to at least 6 per cent.

Aug. 15: Require unvaccinated Canadian passengers to present a recent negative COVID-19 test result or pass a rapid test before getting on a bus, train, plane, or ship. Require federal public servants who aren’t vaccinated to pass a daily rapid test.

NDP

Aug. 16: Take back money from CEOs who received federal subsidies intended for protecting workers’ jobs and redirect it to supports for families.

Greens

Aug. 16: An end to the construction of new pipelines, fracking, and oil and gas exploration.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2021.