Immediate Expensing Rules: Good Tax Policy?

Over the course of the last two federal budgets (April 16, 2024 and November 4, 2025), the rules for claiming Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) have been uncertain. The proposal to extend immediate expensing rules for certain acquired assets were paused for over a year and then re-introduced in a series of four complex measures which together with new rules for Scientific Research and Experimental Development have become known as the “Productivity Super-Deduction”.  A backdrop appears below. The key question: will this complexity be effective as an economic stimulator?   

Bill C-60 proposes to implement certain provisions of the March 21, 2013 federal budget; among these, proposed legislative amendments that pertain to the audit process in the Income Tax Act, and provisions in the Tax Court of Canada Rules. Discussed below in the last of a four-part series are changes to the Expert Witness rules.

Last week we launched our five-part Disability Awareness series discussing tax relief for those who have become disabled and their caregivers. In this second part, we talk about income supports that are available. These articles are excerpted from Jacks on Tax, by Evelyn Jacks.

According to Statistics Canada there were 2.3 million businesses in Canada as of June 2009, with 57% of all business establishments located in Ontario and Quebec. 

Since 1988, 1,125 files have been referred to the GAAR Committee, according to recent statistics from CRA; CRA presented this and other statistics as it went through the GAAR process at the CRA & Professionals Breakfast Seminar in Toronto on June 6. 

South of the border, our American friends have proposed new legislation aimed at imposing sales tax on customers shopping at large online retail websites.

With very minor exceptions, the definition of “income” used to determine the amount of the Guaranteed Income Supplement is the same as “Net Income” under the Income Tax Act.