Morneau’s new ‘simplified’ income sprinkling rules not so simple, tax changes still poised to negatively impact certain SMEs

Shortly after the release of the report by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, which is highly critical of the Department of Finance’s proposals on the taxation of private corporations, Finance Minister Bill Morneau released what he referred to as clarified rules around income sprinkling. Unfortunately, the release came with the same rhetoric used […]

Ontario’s Bill 148 is now law. Here’s how it could impact your business

A new package of labour and employment law reforms in Ontario is poised to potentially impact the competitiveness and the viability of small and medium-sized businesses across the province. Bill 148, The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, became law this week, and introduced a range of new amendments designed to modernize the province’s Employment […]

Ontario offers small business owners a tax cut in fall economic statement

Small business owners in Ontario are getting a break on their taxes. This week Minister of Finance Charles Sousa delivered a fall economic statement that will lower the corporate small business income tax rate on the first $500,000 of business income to 3.5 per cent from 4.5 per cent, by January 1, 2018. The change […]

Federal government compromises, eases proposed tax changes for corporations

After several weeks of insistent rhetoric from Ottawa, entrepreneurs across Canada finally received some good news when the federal government began rolling back proposed tax changes for corporations. Although there is still a lack of detail, at least on the surface, there appears to be some compromise. However, there are still some troubling proposals on […]

Sorry Mr. Morneau, Canadian entrepreneurs are not tax cheats

As Finance Minister Bill Morneau wrapped up his cross-country ‘listening tour’ to gauge Canadians’ reaction to proposed federal tax changes this week, it would have been easy to confuse the minister’s message. He has made it clear the federal government is determined to promote greater fairness across the tax system, levelling the playing field for […]

2017 Federal Budget Commentary

The Federal Government’s 2017–18 Budget gives Canadians a taste of what they might expect over the next couple of years: attempted efficiencies, closed tax loopholes, steady deficits, and a touch of caution. Budget 2017 outlines only $200 million in net new spending, but also an increase to the deficit of more than $5 billion for […]

2016 Ontario Budget Commentary

  On February 25, 2016 Finance Minister Charles Sousa tabled his fourth Budget. The deficit for the 2015-16 fiscal year is projected to be $5.7 billion, which is $2.8 billion less than forecasted in the 2015 Budget. The deficit is projected to drop to $4.3 billion for 2016-17 and to be eliminated by 2017-18. Furthermore, […]

2015 Ontario Budget Commentary–Highlights for Entrepreneurs

2015 Ontario Budget Commentary   Introduction On April 23, 2015 Finance Minister Charles Sousa tabled his third Budget. The deficit for the 2015-16 fiscal year is projected to be $8.5 billion, which is less than had been forecasted in the 2014 Budget. The deficit is projected to drop to $4.8 billion for 2016-17 and to […]

2015 Federal Budget Commentary–Highlights for Entrepreneurs

While the 2015 federal budget may not have contained many surprises, it did contain more than its fair share of entrepreneur-friendly measures. From a reduction in the small business tax, to investments in innovation and help for targeted entrepreneurial groups, this was a pre-election budget intended to appeal to a wide range of stakeholders. Here […]