Tax Pros: Canada’s Tax System Has Taken a Big Hit

Canada’s tax and financial pros weighed in enthusiastically on last month’s two-part Knowledge Bureau Report Opinion Poll in which we asked: "Do you believe Canada’s tax system based on self-assessment, has suffered under recent changes at CRA and by Finance Canada?" 71% said yes. Part 2 was this question: "If so, what is the one wish you have for tax reform?" The responses were very interesting:

Register by June 30 to save on tuition for the Annual Acuity Conference for Distinguished Advisors, who will be exploring the theme: Happy Landings, November 23-26 in spectacular Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This may in fact, be the most important conference you attend this year: Canada’s only multi-disciplinary gathering, appropriately in Mexico, will bring leading Canadian and international thought leaders together to ponder our New Era of Risk and Reward.

It may not be the first concern, but Canadians affected by wildfires may worry at some point about the tax consequences of lost records or missed filing deadlines – the next one on June 16 for those filing T1 returns with proprietorship income. Fortunately, the CRA offers Taxpayer Relief Provisions when there are circumstances beyond a taxpayer’s control, including natural disasters, serious illness or death in the family, or errors made by the CRA, which may trigger penalties and interest due to late or incomplete tax filings. Here’s what you need to know.

On November 14, 2024, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced that as of the spring of 2025, it would transition to online mail as the default method for delivering most business correspondence via My Business Account. Traditional mail delivery would be discontinued. This announcement was the only communication provided to business owners; no individual or personalized notifications were issued. This poses challenges to business owners and the financial professionals they work with.

Provincial debt is rising fast — and that should concern every Canadian taxpayer and the professionals who serve them. With every dollar of debt comes an interest payment, but no added value in services. If governments were people, many would be seeking help from a credit counsellor. So why does this matter to your clients — and to you as a tax or financial professional? Because government debt affects interest rates, taxation, and economic growth, all of which impact tax and financial planning for individuals and businesses.

Canadians pride themselves on being an honest people. We pay our taxes. That is, almost all of us pay our taxes. But there is a small percentage of individuals and businesses who are guilty of tax evasion. While most of us pay up, there will always be a percentage looking to cheat the government. Tax and financial advisory professionals are highly trained to advise against this and explain the consequences. 

In today’s fast-changing economy, professionals in the tax, bookkeeping, and financial services sectors are facing increasing pressure to diversify their knowledge, demonstrate credibility, and add tangible value for clients navigating uncertainty. That’s where specialized credentials—particularly the Distinguished Master Advisor (DMA™) Designation offered through Knowledge Bureau—can make a meaningful difference.