Federal dental care benefit gets go-ahead from House of Commons

OTTAWA — The House of Commons has voted to pass third reading of the Liberals’ dental-care benefit bill, which will allow the government to send cheques to modest-income families to pay for their kids’ dental needs. 

The vote passed 172 to 138, with Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois voting against the benefit.

The program would give children with families who make less than $90,000 a year as much as $650 per child.

To qualify, families will need to apply through the Canada Revenue Agency and attest that they have booked a dental visit for their kids, that they don’t have private insurance and that they will have out-of-pocket expenses for the appointment.