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Pumping gas at gas pump. Closeup of man pumping gasoline fuel in

Federal government extends suspension of fuel excise tax until 2027

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The federal government has announced that they are suspending their fuel excise tax until January 31, 2027.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne made the announcement today in Ottawa.

Additionally, from Feb. 1 to March 31, he announced the tax will only return at a rate of 50 per cent.

On April 1 the tax is set to return in full.

Champagne said the government is focused on controlling what they can, not outside influences.

“We have one very simple message, to all Canadians, we are there for you,” said Champagne. “Lower fuel costs help to bring down costs across the country. For Canada, it means practical relief at a time when Canadians need it most.”

The tax was temporarily suspended on April 20, and would have come back into effect after Labour Day. The federal government estimates that the suspension will continue to save Canadians 10 cents per litre on regular gasoline, and 4 cents per litre on diesel and aviation fuel.

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said the Conservatives won another battle for Canadian families, and is calling on the Liberal government to remove all federal taxes on gas and diesel until at least July 1, 2027.

“Only after months of Conservative pressure, Liberal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is announcing a delay of the governments proposed gas tax hike until early next year,” said Poilievre. “It pays to have Conservatives fighting for Canadian families.”

Image made By Scott MunnImage made By Scott Munn

Federal government announces $1.2 million in funding to boost Nova Scotia tourism

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Nova Scotia’s tourism sector is getting a financial boost from the federal government.

They’re investing $1.2 million to strengthen the province’s cultural experiences, and attract more tourists to the area. 

The funding is going to five tourism operators in Cape Breton, and two non-profits, one in Antigonish and the other in Baddeck.

Bridou Hospitality Incorporated, Whale Cove Beach Resort, Live Life in Tents, Cabot Shores Wilderness Resort, Two Rivers Development Association, Festival Antigonish Society and Theatre Baddeck Society will all receive funding through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

Some examples include critical upgrades to infrastructure, luxury “glass cabins” and upgrades to community theatres.

Cape Breton MP Jamie Battiste made the announcement.

In a press release from the ACOA, they said the investments will “help create the experience that attract visitors to the region, from unique places to stay and vibrant cultural venues to welcoming community spaces and outdoor attractions.”

Trades workers

Federal government announces $2 billion to train trades workers

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The federal government is pledging another $2 billion to help train more trades workers.

The money is being added to Team Canada Strong’s $6 billion budget, bringing the total to $8 billion. Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu made the announcement in Halifax on July 16. 

The funding is meant to help recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 Red Seal trades workers in the next five years. 

According to a press release from the federal government, the money will be invested through bi-lateral agreements with the provinces and territories. Those funding agreements are expected to be in place by 2027.

“As the world of work evolves, nobody will be left behind. By collaborating with provinces and territories to remove barriers to skilled trades, we are equipping workers with the tools needed to succeed,” said Minister Hajdu. “Access to rewarding, well-paying jobs will build a strong, confident workforce where workers can navigate global uncertainty and build lasting economic strength.”  

During a press conference after the announcement, Hajdu said many generations of workers, including people in her own generation, were discouraged from going into trades work, and that the government needs to provide support for educators and students looking to go into skilled trades.

“Listen, if someone puts their hand up to want to go to school, to want to be able to take training, to want to enter the skilled trades, it can’t be the capacity of the trainers that’s the limiting factor,” said Hajdu.

The federal government estimates that Canada will need more than 1.4 million new trades workers to build homes, expand transit and develop energy infrastructure across the country.

New house framing construction

Yarmouth joins federal housing catalogue

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The federal government is making it easier for developers to build houses in Yarmouth.

Mayor Pam Mood was joined by MP for Acadie-Annapolis Chris d’Entremont at Yarmouth Town Hall to announce Yarmouth as the newest local partner in the Housing Design Catalogue.

The catalogue is a federal initiative that provides more than 50 pre-approved housing plans designed to help save developers time and money.

In an interview with Acadia News, d’Entremont said that every province and municipality has different requirements.

“The size of a bathroom, the size of a hallway, it just goes on and on all these challenges.” said d’Entremont. “When you do your development package and you submit it to a municipal organization there’s a lot of back, and forth and it ends up costing money in architectural and design and engineering.”

D’Entremont said the catalogue is designed to be quick and easy for developers to use, and is available for use right away.

“Today, as partners, we’re building a stronger Canada,” said d’Entremont. “Looking around me, I know that while each of us has different solutions to share, we share the same goal: to increase residential construction and ensure that everyone in Canada has a place to live.”

Of the 16 partners announced, Shelburne and Yarmouth are the only Nova Scotia communities to endorse the catalogue.

In a joint press release, the municipality said it has pre-reviewed several designs and has a permit process in place to prioritize catalogue applications, with a target approval rate of just two weeks.

“On behalf of council, we are pleased to partner with the federal government and actively promote this housing design catalog to prospective builders and developers,” said Mood. “Our town has benefited from Housing Accelerator funding, as it allowed us to develop several key initiatives to remove barriers to housing development. This catalogue of free designs offers another way for us to ‘set the table’ and allow more homes to be built, more quickly.”

Blueberries

Blueberry group ‘really appreciates’ $25M from gov’t after 2025 drought

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The Executive Director of the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia says the $25 million dished out by the federal and provincial governments is really appreciated after last year’s drought.

The funding was announced earlier this week through disaster relief framework AgriRecovery for blueberry and livestock producers, to help operations recover.

In an interview with Acadia News, Janettte McDonald said they are not exactly sure how the money will break down at this point but have an idea what the targeted areas will be.

“For our blueberry growers, it will mean the extra costs that they have trying to get their plants back up to a healthy level to be more resilient in the future,” explained McDonald.

How are crops doing?

Nova Scotia experienced the worst drought it’s had in more than half a century in 2025.

It was so dry it led to a 55 per cent reduction in wild blueberry crops, which McDonald said caused a lot of stress and worry.

By January, McDonald had optimism going into the next season, but now unfortunately some crops are suffering again.

“It wasn’t just a one-year crop event,” said McDonald. “It really impacted the whole plant health.”

Because wild blueberries are perennial, she explained, we’re probably going to see this for more than one season.

McDonald added that some areas of the province were affected by frost, some have risk of disease because of a long bloom, but other areas are doing really well.

Looking ahead

McDonald said conditions are not as dry this year as they were in 2025, but they will take some extra moisture.

If conditions get too dry in areas like Cumberland County, McDonald said, it could be “really tough”.

She said, what is needed in the future, is more than average moisture as well as practical solutions such as business risk management programs and crop insurance.

“We’re definitely going to see climate be a significant impact for our industry,” explained McDonald.

She said they are hoping for a good year.

“We thank the governments for the work that they put into getting this program on the ground and out to growers.”

Marie2

More federal funds for French language instruction coming to Ontario

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The federal government has signed a bilateral agreement with the province to support minority language education and second-language instruction.

Today, Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde announced the signing of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official-Language Instruction 2024-2025 to 2027-2028.

Under the agreement, an investment of more than $523 million has been made in Ontario to help the province offer French as a minority language and second-language instruction for students from preschool to post-secondary.

“Franco-Ontarians know how essential education is in preserving our language and passing on our culture to future generations,” said Minister Lalonde in a statement. “Thanks to this agreement, we are strengthening bilingualism and giving young people the tools they need to develop fully in French and in English.”

An investment by the Ontario government is also planned to support the aims of the agreement.

The bilateral agreement stems from the Protocol for Agreements for Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction for the period from 2024 to 2028, ratified in February.

Minister Lalonde made the announcement on behalf of Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages.