This Month’s Poll

Yes.  This has been an area of concern, since I became an accountant, more than 40 years .  There is no political incentive to reform the income tax act - it does not buy the politicians many votes.  Even if we voted for a political leader that promised tax reform in their election platform, there is little or no expectation that any tax reform will actually occur.

No Canadian politician has ever comprehensively reformed the Income Tax Act to make it simpler. While there have been significant tax policy changes, the Act has actually grown increasingly complex over decades, and no government has undertaken a wholesale simplification effort.

The closest precedent is Finance Minister Michael Wilson’s tax reform in the mid-1980s. Facing an unwieldy system and competition from Reagan’s tax cuts, Wilson pursued a comprehensive overhaul rather than piecemeal changes:

1. Broadening the tax base by eliminating dozens of complex carveouts and credits
2. Lowering income tax rates in exchange for the elimination of preferences
3. Introducing the GST to shift reliance away from income taxes

However, even Wilson’s reform eventually led to new tax complexity, and many of the carveouts he eliminated have since been reintroduced in different forms.

Do we need reform?  Absolutely.  But, electing a political leader that will actually do it is currently just a fantasy .

By Gaetan Ladouceur on September 17, 2026

The CPA Tax Practitioners Committee has been calling for a total review of the Act and varous concerns outlined to CRA & M of Finance

By JOSEPH A TRUSCOTT CPA on September 09, 2026

A overhall would be nice, but more importantly, overhauling CRA to ensure that they deliver audit responses faster with less errors would help every Canadian Tax Payer.

By Gerry Campbell on September 09, 2026

I am in agreement with Robert.  An overhaul of the system that would simplify taxation would improve efficiency for taxpayers, both personal and corporate, and with a simpler system, perhaps CRA could downsize somewhat, making government less costly, thereby requiring less taxation.

There should really be a focus on making Canada’s economy stronger, regardless of the situation of the day.

By Derek T on September 02, 2026

Canada’s tax regime is very complicated and, I have recently heard, one of the most expensive in the world.  It is costly for the government as well as the individual / corporation to complete.  A tax reform to make the task of completing and paying income taxes more efficient and cost effective should be a goal of any government. 
Taxpayers have been complaining for years about the complexity of the system.  Let’s get it reformed and better suited to use.
I don’t know if it will help the trade wars (nothing seems to work at the moment) but it will not hurt to try.

By Robert Litschel on September 02, 2026