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CUSMA Not Renewed: What the Trade Deal Impasse Means for Your Wallet

  July 2, 2026 | Trade & Economy The mandatory six-year review of Canada's most important trade agreement came and went this week — and it did not go the way Ottawa hoped. On July 1, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the United States will not renew the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in its current form, sending the deal into a more uncertain, year-by-year footing right as Canadians are already navigating tariffs, a soft labour market, and a technical recession. Here is what actually happened, why it matters, and what it could mean for your budget in the months ahead. The short version CUSMA isn't dead. It remains legally in force until 2036. But instead of locking in a fresh 16-year term, the deal now shifts into annual reviews, with existing tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and softwood lumber unresolved for now. What happened on July 1 CUSMA was built with a mandatory joint review every six years. If Canada, the U.S. and Mexico had a...

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Canadian Dental Care Plan: Who Qualifies?

 

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) aims to provide essential dental coverage to those in need. To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. Canadian Residency: You must be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.

  2. Adjusted Family Net Income: Your adjusted family net income should be less than $90,000. This calculation considers various factors, including income reported on tax returns and any universal child care benefit or registered disability savings plan income received.

  3. Filed Tax Return: You must have filed your tax return in the previous year.

  4. No Access to Dental Insurance: To qualify, you must not have access to dental insurance. This includes coverage through employers, family members, pensions, professional or student organizations, or group plans from insurance companies. Even if you choose to opt out of available benefits, you are still considered to have access to dental insurance.

If you already have dental coverage through provincial, territorial, or federal government social programs, you can still qualify for the CDCP. In such cases, your coverage will be coordinated to avoid duplication or gaps in care.

Remember that providing false information on your application may result in removal from the plan, and ineligible family members may need to repay the full cost of care received through the CDCP.


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