Time’s Up: CRA’s 100 Day Mandate for Improvement

After years of frustration on the part of tax professionals and taxpayers alike, the Finance Minister ordered the Canada Revenue Agency to clean up its act in 100 days. Specifically, the improvement plan was to run from September 2 through December 11. Finance Minister and Minister of National Revenue, Francoise-Phillippe Champagne instructed CRA to fix “unacceptable wait times and service delays.” Time’s up this week and CRA has released an update on progress. What gets measured, gets done. Let’s see what CRA’s metrics show. 

The Finance Department released its 37th report on federal tax expenditures last week; it has published estimates of tax expenditures for personal and corporate income taxes, as well as for the Goods and Services Tax, since 1944. It’s an interesting read, especially in advance of the March 22, 2016, federal budget, when the government is expected to announce new tax expenditures.

As a way to simplify the tax system, an overwhelming majority of respondents, 87%, to Knowledge Bureau’s February poll agree that investment income under $1000 should not be taxed. Will their wish come true?

Now that tax season is in full swing, Knowledge Bureau would like to remind you of some key dates to mark in your calendar: Regional DAW Workshops - May 24 to 31, Summer Studies Begin June 15, DAC  Nov 6 -9.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” -Winston Churchill.

Be sure to stay tuned to Knowledge Bureau Report for all the details of the next federal budget – March 22, 2016.

Each year, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada publishes a list of prescribed regions that have experienced either drought conditions or excess moisture. Farmers in these regions qualify to defer reporting the proceeds from the sale of a portion of their breeding herd if they meet certain conditions.