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Analyzing the 2023 Ontario budget with Toronto skyline in view

2023 Ontario budget warns of economic uncertainty as province’s fiscal health improves

Compared to the 2022 edition, the 2023 Ontario budget is relatively restrained in its spending commitments. That’s due in large part to what various members of Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government have been eager to signal in the lead-up to budget day: that we’re living in a period of economic uncertainty. Queen’s Park is pulling in […]

Fall Economic Statement discussed in Toronto business district

Fall Economic Statement 2022 pledges fiscal responsibility while delivering new spending

Inflation remains stubbornly high, holiday season labour shortages are likely to cause havoc for some businesses and the Canadian economy is probably headed into at least a minor recession in early 2023. These headwinds aside, the federal government promised another $22.1 billion in new program spending while pledging greater fiscal responsibility in yesterday’s Fall Economic […]

disability parking space

October tax news: Qualified disability trusts, gifts of property–and more

QUALIFIED DISABILITY TRUSTS A qualified disability trust (“QDT”) is a testamentary trust that can be set up for disabled beneficiaries who are eligible for the disability tax credit. A testamentary trust basically means a trust that is set up under your will, and takes effect after you die. You might consider setting up a QDT […]

Farming fuel tax credit

July tax news: Farming and air quality tax credits, taxation of accounts receivable–and more

FUEL CHARGE CREDIT FOR FARMING BUSINESSES The federal government recently introduced a refundable “return of fuel charge proceeds to farmers tax credit” to farming businesses to help them offset certain fuel charges that they incur in their farming businesses. The credit was passed into law on June 9, 2022, in Bill C-8. The credit applies […]

Budget 2022 engineer focusing on innovation

Federal Budget 2022 offers minor tax relief for business, funding for innovation

The federal government’s Budget 2022 contained several new proposed measures, both from a personal and corporate tax perspective, in addition to various new spending initiatives and tax credits. These measures will have some impact on the business community, but when it comes to Canada’s economic outlook as a whole—including strategies to manage runaway inflation and […]

Trust Reporting

No, trust reporting rules haven’t changed—yet

Canadian taxpayers would be forgiven for being at least slightly confused in recent months by the federal government’s new incoming (yet delayed) trust reporting requirements. You’ll recall that in the 2018 federal budget, Ottawa laid out plans that would require all non-resident trusts to provide additional beneficial ownership information alongside the T3 returns they are […]

Reversionary or revocable trusts for a loved one

February tax news: Understanding trusts, managing partnership returns–and more

REVERSIONARY/REVOCABLE TRUSTS A trust is a relationship under which a person, called a settlor, contributes cash or other property in trust for the benefit of others, called the beneficiaries. The trust is not a legal person or entity for most purposes, but it is considered a “person” and a “taxpayer” for income tax purposes. The […]

associated corporation downtown building

January tax news: Rules for associated corporations, lending to adult children—and more

ASSOCIATED CORPORATIONS Under the Income Tax Act, there are various rules pertaining to relationships between taxpayers, including individuals, trusts, and corporations. For example, there are rules that apply to “related” persons, “non-arm’s length” persons, “affiliated” persons, and “associated” corporations. The rules are generally restrictive in nature, and the tax policy reasons for the rules are […]

November tax news: How options are taxed, why the self-employed pay double CPP–and more

HOW OPTIONS ARE TAXED An option to purchase a property, as the term implies, provides the holder of the option an optional right to purchase the property. The option is referred to as a call option. The purchase price under the option is sometimes called the exercise price or strike price. Conversely, an option to […]