Spring Economic Statement: April 28, 2026

April 15, 2026: Ottawa, Ontario - Yesterday, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, announced that he will table the Spring Economic Update 2026 on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. In the Spring Economic Update 2026, the government will provide an update on its plan to build the strongest economy in the G7, and outline additional actions taken to drive prosperity, play to Canada’s strengths, and support Canadians where and when they need it most.

ìToday's top advisor has an explosive opportunity to boost revenue, referral frequency and case size,î said Anthony Morris, an international speaker and practice development specialist. At the 6th annual Distinguished Advisor Conference to be held November 8-11 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, Mr. Morris will present the three key strategies for conference delegates that will help them lead in turbulent times and turbo-charge their productivity.     He will discuss prospecting and acquiring new clients, signing clients for additional services and keeping touch with clients. Mr. Morris will showcase clever uses of simple technology, creative deployment of client conversation, conceptual selling and personal branding that will allow you to re-align your business model, increase income and take more time off.         EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE: Information on the latest information related to financial crisis will be presented at DAC (Distinguished Advisor Conference) hosted by The Knowledge Bureau in Tucson, Arizona November 8-11. Speakers such as Robert Ironside (see his commentary above), and Richard Croft will address leading tax and financial professionals on the technical and soft skills required to embrace Leadership and Opportunity in Turbulent Times.  Registration for the conference will be accepted until Friday, October 30th.  

ìEmpathy is one of the cornerstones of effective, people-centered leadership. It is a skill demanded by today's increasingly savvy clients who expect personalized, perceptive service and judicious, insightful advice,î says psychologist Ron Thiessen, a member of the Order of Psychologists of Quebec.   Ron will discuss the hallmarks of an empathic leader at the Distinguished Advisor Conference, November 8 -11 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. He will explore ideas to cement your relationship as an indispensable advocate for your client, discuss how you can seize the opportunity to consolidate your position as a most trusted advisor through the exercise of your formidable people skills, and investigate how an advisor's role as a thoughtful empathic leader can augment your influence with clients in turbulent times.

ìUnderstanding how your practice will need to adapt to meet changing client expectations is critical to your success in capitalizing on new opportunities,î says Mick Kelly, Vice President, Sales, Retail Markets at Standard Life, who will explain how to implement proper Change Management within your advisor team at the Distinguished Advisor Conference on November 9. Mr. Kelly will show advisors at the event how to use Market-based decision-making to survive and thrive beyond current turbulent times.

One of the biggest challenges facing Canadians today involves helping aging and infirm parents with their finances, their health and their day-to-day activities. ìAdvisors need to be ready to lead their clients through the financial aspects of this dynamic situation,î said Dave Christianson, Financial Planner and Faculty Member with the Knowledge Bureau. ìThose advisors who exercise leadership at this challenging time will develop a special bond and fortify a lasting relationship with their clients.î   Mr. Christianson will conduct a case study session at the 6th annual Distinguished Advisor Conference to be held November 8-11 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. His interactive session will explore ways to lead clients through this difficult time, with special emphasis on working with people who have been named power of attorney or committee for these clients.

ìCompliance is taking a front seat -- both in firms and with clients. And clients have complained about unauthorized trading in their accounts, and in some cases, fees being in excessof what their commissions ever would have been,î said Lisa Langley, President, International Product & Service Group (IPSG). ìAnd, though client complaints need to be gauged carefully, there certainly are documented cases of bad advice, poor client management, and client portfolios which did not reflect material changes in their profile and investment objectives,î she added.   The number of complaints from unhappy investors is rising every day while regulators are increasing scrutiny and developing policies to address the gaps. This, together with the constant buzz of fraud and ponzi schemes in the press, is causing clients to ask questions they have never asked before. One of the goals of the recently enacted Registration Reform is to make the representations of advisors and their capacity to advise clearer to the investing public.   Ms. Langley offers insights about what your clients are thinking and how you should respond to their growing concerns. At the 6th annual Distinguished Advisor Conference, November 8 -11 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, Ms. Langley will explain the current environment, upcoming regulatory changes, registration reform and what they mean to you.

By Alan Rowell , DFA, Tax Specialist and President, The Accounting Place     After eight months of waiting after the announcement of the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC), the legislation is currently on the table in Parliament for passage. The proposed legislation will be a new section of the ITA, section 118.04 available by linking here.   Legalese Version 118.04(1) outlines the definitions applied to the new section: "Eligible Dwellingî is defined as a housing unit, including Ω hectare of land surrounding the unit and located in Canada that is; a) Owned by the individual whether jointly or otherwise for the sole purpose of habitation, including a co-operative housing unit. b) The housing unit is ordinarily inhabited at any time during the eligible period buy the individual, spouse or common-law partner (current or former), or by a child of the individual under the age of 18 anytime during the calendar year.. "Eligible Periodî is defined as the period beginning January 28, 2009 and ending January 31, 2010. "Qualifying Expenditureî is defined as an outlay or expense that is made or incurred and is directly attributable to a qualifying renovation by the individual, including permits and equipment rental. Not included as a "qualifying expenditure is; a) Goods that have been used, or acquired for use for any purpose prior to being acquired by the individual or a qualifying relation; b) Made or incurred prior under the terms of an agreement prior to January 28, 2009 c) To acquire property that can be used independently of the qualifying renovation; d) That is the cost of annual, recurring or routine maintenance or repairs; e) To acquire a household appliance excluding furnaces and other heating systems; f) To acquire an electronic home entertainment device; g) The cost of financing a qualifying renovation; h) Costs incurred for the purpose of gaining or producing income from a business or property; i) Goods and Services provided by a person not dealing at arms-length with the individual unless the person is registered for the purposes of GST/HST. "Qualifying Renovationî is defined as a renovation or alteration of an eligible dwelling and must be of an enduring nature and be an integral to the eligible dwelling. New section 118.04(2) covers the situation of a co-operative housing corporation and trusts where the eligible dwelling is owned by other than the "individualî. In these circumstances the individual's share of the costs incurred by corporation or trust are considered to be incurred by the individual. The corporation or trust must notify the individual in writing of the individual's share of the qualifying outlay or expense. s118.04(3) - The non-refundable tax credit is applied in the 2009 taxation year. The credit is determined as 15% of the qualifying expenditure in excess of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000. s118.04(4) ñ The application of the HRTC to renovations or costs incurred that may also qualify for the Medical Expense Tax Credit under s118.2 will qualify for both credits, notwithstanding s.248(28)(b) s118.04(5) ñ Where more than one individual is entitled to the HRTC in respect of a qualifying expenditure, the total amounts claimed by all individuals cannot exceed the maximum amount allowable if one individual were claiming the HRTC.English Version If an individual, or a qualifying relation, own and live in the dwelling, you are entitled to claim the non-refundable Home Renovation Tax Credit. An individual that incurred the costs prior to January 28, 2009 you will not qualify for the credit regardless of when the actual work and payment occurred. Consequently, if the costs were incurred during the eligible period, you will be able to claim the costs, even if the work is not performed and completed until after the eligible period. Example: Mary entered into a contract to have her roof replaced on January 27, 2009 and provided a deposit to the contractor. The work was performed and completed on April 15, 2009, within the qualifying period. Mary is not eligible for the Home Renovation Tax Credit on this renovation. John entered into a contract on January 29, 2010 to have the windows replaced in his home and provided a deposit to the contractor. The work was completed on April 15, 2010, outside the qualifying period. John is eligible for the Home Renovation Tax Credit on this renovation. If the renovation or alteration is an integral part of the home and will last a long time, it will qualify for the Home Renovation Tax Credit. This includes a provision allowing for homes owned by a trust or co-operative housing corporation to "flow-throughî the portion of the costs incurred to the individual. The trust or corporation must provide in writing the portion of the expense attributable to the individual. If the renovation or alteration incurred also qualifies for the Medical Expense Credit under s.248(28)(b), both credits may be claimed on the 2009 tax return of the qualifying individual. The credit, if it is shared between individuals, cannot exceed the amount that would be available if claimed by one individual. It is important to note that, as of this writing, a Federal election call is looking less likely, the proposed legislation is not yet passed into law. If an election were called prior to passing the legislation through Parliament, the legislation would die on the table and require re-introduction and passage under the new Government to become applicable.   Alan Rowell, DFA, President and Tax Specialist of The Accounting Place, specializes in working with individuals and small to medium size businesses by providing accounting and taxation services that are unique to each client. Alan is a faculty member of The Knowledge Bureau, and presented on the Tax Consequences of Debt for their January 2009 workshop tour.