Ontario’s $200 cheques are rolling out, but some are mistakenly sent to the deceased, raising eyebrows ahead of the election.
Ontario: So, the cheques from the Ontario government are finally showing up. They’re part of a $200 rebate for every taxpaying adult and their kids. But here’s the kicker—some of these cheques are going to folks who have sadly passed away in the last year.
The government announced these cheques in their Fall Economic Statement, and they’re meant to help with affordability. But it seems they didn’t quite check their lists properly. Reports are coming in that cheques are being sent to deceased individuals, which is a bit of a mess.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Finance confirmed this odd situation. They mentioned that the estates of the deceased can still cash these cheques, but they’ll need to bring proof of death to the bank. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s doable.
Premier Doug Ford is promoting these cheques as a way to return tax dollars to the people. However, some critics are calling it a vote-buying tactic with elections on the horizon. The funding for these cheques was supposed to come from a big windfall from changes to the capital gains tax, but that’s looking less likely now.
These cheques started hitting mailboxes on January 17, and it’s safe to say they’ve stirred up quite the conversation.
