The Honourable Siobhan Coady, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, is pleased to advise that 96% of the initial 392,000 cost of living relief cheques have now been mailed to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador; and is thanking public service employees for their hard work in ensuring people received their cheques before Christmas.
Cheques were mailed to eligible residents based on their address on file with the Canada Revenue Agency as of June 2022. Cheques will continue to be mailed as more residents late file their 2021 tax returns. Those who file between October 1 and December 31, 2022, will receive their cheques once we receive the required information from Canada Revenue Agency. Residents who have not yet filed their 2021 Newfoundland and Labrador tax return are reminded that the deadline is December 31, 2022.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced on October 5, 2022 that it was issuing a one-time cost of living relief cheque of up to $500 to residents of the province who have reached the age of 18 years old as of December 31, 2022 and who filed a 2021 tax return with an adjusted income of $125,000 or less.
Those with adjusted income of less than $100,000 will receive $500 and those with adjusted income between $100,000 and $125,000 will receive a partial payment ranging between $250 and $500.
This one-time benefit is estimated to cost $194 million and is part of $430 million in targeted short and long term investments since March 2022 to help residents with the cost of living.
More information on the initiative is available online on the gov.nl.ca website.
If you have additional questions, please telephone Tax Administration Division at 1-877-729-6376. Please wait two weeks before calling to question the status of your cheque to allow time for Canada Post delivery. We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls and appreciate your patience.