FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2025
St. John’s, NL – Today, Premier John Hogan, KC, leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, joined by Liberal Candidate for St. John’s East – Quidi Vidi John Whelan, announced new measures to lower the cost of living.
The cost of living globally and across Canada has increased in recent years, due to the pandemic, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and recently the tariffs imposed by the United States. This has increased the cost of groceries, housing and energy, putting strain on household budgets. The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to addressing these challenges responsibly, and making life more affordable for everyone across the Province.
That’s why the Liberal government announced more than $750 million in targeted short- and long-term measures since March 2022 to help residents with affordability. These included adjusting the Seniors’ Benefit threshold and indexing it to the consumer price index, benefiting more than 50,000 seniors, as well as increasing the income supplement by 15% over the last 3 years. We also cut child care costs with $10 day childcare for 11,200 children, and cut the cost of registering passenger vehicles by 50%.
A re-elected Liberal government will go even further to reduce the cost of living by leveraging our future revenue from the renegotiated Churchill Falls agreement to reduce costs for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
With the new Churchill Falls MOU offering a generational opportunity for economic prosperity, it is only fair that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should pay less for their electricity. A re-elected Liberal government will remove the provincial portion of the HST from all residential electricity bills in the Province, saving customers 10% on their bills every month.
By cutting this tax, the government is ensuring residents see the direct benefits of the Churchill Falls agreement in their own homes, with lower monthly energy costs and more money back in their pockets.
This tax cut is in addition to the current rate mitigation plan, which costs the province an average of $500 million per year to prevent power bills from almost doubling due to the extreme costs associated with the Muskrat Falls project.
The Liberal Government is also committed to helping Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with the cost of gas, and cut the provincial fuel tax by 50%, saving customers 8 cents per litre every time they fill up at the pump. Today, Premier Hogan also announced that a re-elected Liberal government will make this tax cut permanent, and maintain the home heating supplement of up to $500 for residents who rely on home heating fuel.
Premier John Hogan also reaffirmed his commitment not to introduce any new taxes or government fees if re-elected. Together, these measures will put more money back in the pockets of families across the province, and help reduce the cost of living.
With real momentum, energy and leadership, the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is embracing our province’s tremendous opportunities to deliver a stronger future for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Media Contact:
Ben Murphy
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Tel: 709-740-3156
E-mail: [email protected]