Celiac Canada is asking Canadians to join them in supporting a House of Commons petition calling for a $1,000 tax credit to offset the high cost of gluten-free food – a medical necessity for people living with celiac disease.
Celiac Canada’s 2024 State of Celiac Disease in Canada report reveals that 1 in 6 Canadians with celiac disease experience food insecurity. The situation is even more severe for families with children: nearly 50% of households with a child who has celiac disease are food insecure, according to a 2024 study in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
With grocery prices continuing to rise, many individuals with celiac disease are being forced to make difficult decisions about how they shop and eat.
That’s why Celiac Canada is encouraging Canadians to support the petition asking the federal government to introduce tax reforms related to the incremental cost of gluten-free food – food that is a necessity for people with celiac disease, but which can cost anywhere from 100-500 per cent more than their gluten-containing counterparts including staples like cereal, breads, pastas, and baked goods. The petition is open for signatures until December 6, 2025.
“This petition asks the government to implement a simple-to-apply, refundable tax credit of $1,000 for people with celiac disease to help offset the significant costs associated with managing the disease,” says Melissa Secord, executive director of Celiac Canada. “The Prime Minister has asked Cabinet to prioritize bringing down costs for Canadians and helping them to get ahead and this tax credit is one way to help achieve that mandate.”
The current tax credit system is overly complicated and requires people to keep their receipts and track cost differences between regular and gluten-free foods. The proposed change would eliminate much of the red tape and administrative burden, allowing Canadians with celiac disease to receive a straightforward $1,000 refund to help offset the significant costs of managing their condition.
“Before the last election, more than 28,000 Canadians signed a similar petition asking for tax reforms related to the affordability of gluten-free food. We would love to see 30,000 or more sign the petition this year to help show that this is an issue that’s important to Canadians,” says Secord.
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder affecting an estimated one in 100 people worldwide. When people with celiac disease consume gluten their immune system attacks the lining of their small intestine, which can lead to a variety of health problems including but not limited to depression, neurological disorders, joint pain, osteopenia, fertility and reproductive issues, anemia, liver disorders and even some forms of cancer.
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