Fall Federal Budget: Will Spending Be Cut?

Canada has historically presented an annual budget since Confederation in 1867, even through periods like World Wars and the Great Depression, but we have recently experienced the longest period without a full federal budget in our history. By the time the next one is brought down, expected in October 2025, it will have been 18 months since the controversial April 2024 budget which introduced the doomed capital gains inclusion rate hikes. What can we expect?

Detailed draft legislative proposals and explanatory notes were released January 9 by Finance Canada to provide guidance on the proposed new rules. Public comment was invited, but must be submitted by February 10. Some highlights of the proposals follow...

Paying taxes is a sign of good fortune in Canada. You may be surprised to know that about one third of Canadians do not pay taxes, but of the two thirds that do, an average of 84% of income was left after taxes.

In Coveley v. The Queen the Tax Court of Canada (TCC) had to decide whether certain allowable business investment losses (ABILs) claimed in the 2005 and 2006 taxation years by a couple who owned a business were correct. 

I was so glad to hear from Russ, in response to last week’s blog. He shared that he had read my book; realized he missed claiming moving expenses and then adjusted his prior filed returns. To his delight, he received a $6600 refund – found money!  Good for you Russ!

Andre Yong Tit Kow successfully achieved his DFA-Tax Services Specialist designation from Knowledge Bureau in 2013. We are pleased to have Andre as one of our distinguished grads.

No income? File a tax return anyway. You’ll need to do that to receive income supplements from the government, often paid monthly or quarterly, including federal tax credits like the Canada Child Tax Benefit, GST/HST credit or the Universal Child Care Benefit.