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Bringing about a higher level of transparency and accountability in provincial and federal governments to help protect taxpayers from abuse

Bringing about a higher level of transparency and accountability in provincial and federal governments to help protect taxpayers from abuse.

Alberta minister says province ‘still standing’ on Day 2 of carbon tax 

Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said the province was “still standing” a day after its carbon tax took effect, and Albertans who opposed the levy could start seeing rebate cheques within days.But Opposition Wildrose critic Don MacIntyre said the majority of Albertans continue to oppose the tax, and that the science isn’t settled on whether humans are responsible for the majority of climate change.

Source: Alberta minister says province ‘still standing’ on Day 2 of carbon tax – Edmonton – CBC News

Ottawa spending half a billion dollars for Canada’s 150th anniversary

The federal government is spending half a billion dollars to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation – with everything from a cross-country RV tour to a Parliament Hill extravaganza marking the occasion.

The largest share of the money – $300-million – is being delivered by regional development agencies through the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. The previous Conservative government created that fund to fix up public facilities and for community infrastructure, culture and recreation. It was given a $150-million budget shortly before the 2015 election.

Source: Ottawa spending half a billion dollars for Canada’s 150th anniversary GLOBE AND MAIL

Change of heart on foreign buyer taxes too late for Langley family 

Premier Christy Clark’s announcement on Sunday that a tax on foreigners buying property in Metro Vancouver will be changed to exempt people who have work permits and pay taxes in B.C. came too late for Langley resident Nic Benner.

“Unfortunately, the province did not act in time to keep me from losing my property,” Benner said.

Benner, a U.S. citizen, told the Times he was forced to back out of buying a townhouse in Langley last year because the tax raised the price by an unexpected $78,000, more than he could afford.

 

Source: Change of heart on foreign buyer taxes too late for Langley family – White Rock News

CRA spends millions but fails to stop tax workers from snooping on Canadians, documents show

Canada Revenue Agency workers continue to snoop on the confidential tax files of businesses, acquaintances and others, despite at least $10.5 million spent so far to try to stop them.CBC News has uncovered nine significant cases reported since Jan. 1 in which tax workers improperly poked around the government’s electronic records to extract sensitive private information about income, deductions, benefits, payments and employment.

Source: CRA spends millions but fails to stop tax workers from snooping on Canadians, documents show – Politics – CBC News

A look at federal funding for health care and social programs

The Government of Canada provides significant financial support to provincial and territorial governments on an ongoing basis to assist them in the provision of programs and services. There are four main transfer programs: the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), the Canada Social Transfer (CST), Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing (TFF).

The CHT and CST are federal transfers which support specific policy areas such as health care, post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, early childhood development and child care.

The Equalization and TFF programs provide unconditional transfers to the provinces and territories. Equalization enables less prosperous provincial governments to provide their residents with public services that are reasonably comparable to those in other provinces, at reasonably comparable levels of taxation. TFF provides territorial governments with funding to support public services, in recognition of the higher cost of providing programs and services in the North.

Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories – 2008-09 to 2017-18

(Updated December 2016)

The Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer

Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing

Other Transfers

Fiscal Balance

Source: https://www.fin.gc.ca/access/fedprov-eng.asp DEPT OF FINANCE

‘If you’re not angry about this you’re not paying attention’: Property tax breaks

The regional director of a taxpayer advocacy group is calling for a move to an arm’s-length process for deciding corporate property taxes.Kevin Lacey, the Atlantic Canada director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said the government is too involved with these negotiations.”I think we need an arm’s-length process,” said Lacey.Property tax concessions have cost N.B. nearly $380M over 40 years New Brunswick tax breaks: Who gets what Irving Oil’s tank farm and the tax break that keeps on giving”Something that’s similar to the auditor general or an arms-length review that would be independent of the government and the government would be forced to accept the recommendation.”

Source: ‘If you’re not angry about this you’re not paying attention’: Property tax breaks – New Brunswick – CBC News

We can protect the environment without a big new tax

Ask any Canadian what one of the most important policy issues of today is and there’s a good chance they’ll say climate change. Certainly climate change must be discussed and addressed.

Indeed, this is why many politicians and policy leaders around the world have turned their minds to how we can limit our global greenhouse gas emissions

Source: We can protect the environment without a big new tax | Guest Column | Columnists TORONTO SUN

Toronto city workers’ sick leave sickening 

TORONTO – It’s enough to make any besieged taxpayer sick — especially since Thursday marks the day Toronto residents find out which bitter tax pills they’ll be forced to swallow.According to the most recently negotiated CUPE 79 and 416 agreements — signed off in mid-February and early March of this year — more than half of the city’s unionized workers are entitled to six months of sick leave per year.

Source: City workers’ sick leave sickening | Levy | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun

B.C. commission calls for tax reforms, exemptions worth $1.1B to spur investment

VICTORIA – British Columbia’s finance minister says the government will study recommendations that the province chop taxes to businesses by about $1.1 billion a year in an effort to spur lagging investment.The expert panel’s report released Wednesday makes four recommendations, including exempting businesses from the seven-per-cent provincial sales tax on capital expenses for items like machinery and equipment.The report, titled Improving B.C.’s Tax Competitiveness, also recommends exempting the PST on electricity costs and other energy, and suggested the province implement a made-in-B.C., value-added tax.The value-added tax would address problems with the PST, including investment disincentives and an increase in business costs, the report says.

Source: B.C. commission calls for tax reforms, exemptions worth $1.1B to spur investment TIMES COLONIST

New tax could force small Ontario distilleries to seek fortunes elsewhere 

Ontario distillers say a proposal for a new 61.5 per cent tax on privately sold spirits could kill the province’s distillery industry.Bill 70, introduced by Finance Minister Charles Sousa earlier this month, includes a new sales tax for stores owned and operated by Ontario’s small and independent distilleries.The province says the amendments will enable private distillers and on-store sites to make more money per bottle, increasing operator’s’ profit margin from 13 per cent to 20 per cent.

Source: New tax could force small Ontario distilleries to seek fortunes elsewhere – Sudbury – CBC News