BC - Minimum wage increase effective June 1Effective as of June 1, the general minimum wage payable in the province of British Columbia increased to $12.65 per hour. The change is part of a planned series of increases which will result in a $1...
BC - Deferring 2018 property taxesQualifying homeowners in the province can take advantage of a program which allows them to defer payment of their property taxes, through a low-interest loan from the province.
There are two componen...
BC - Province creates Small Business Task ForceThe provincial government has announced the creation of a Small Business Tax Force, which will be holding consultation sessions throughout the province for interested stakeholders. An online consultat...
BC - Interest Rates - 2018The province of British Columbia levies and pays interest at prescribed rates on underpayments and overpayments of tax with respect to corporation capital tax, logging tax, and insurance premium tax. ...
BC - Budget introduces real estate speculation taxIn its 2018-19 Budget, the provincial government introduced a new real estate speculation tax, which will be effective for the 2018 and subsequent tax years.
The new tax will target foreign and domes...
BC - Medical services plan premiums reduced by 50%As announced in the 2017 Budget Update, the province has reduced Medical Service Premiums (MSP) by one half, effective as of January 1, 2018.
As well, the income threshold for full exemption from MSP...
BC - Interest Rates – 2018The province of British Columbia levies and pays interest at prescribed rates on underpayments and overpayments of tax with respect to corporation capital tax, logging tax and insurance premium tax. T...
BC - 2018 BC TD1 Form and TD1Worksheet releasedThe Canada Revenue Agency has issued the British Columbia TD1 Form and Worksheet which will be used by taxpayers resident in the province, and their employers, to determine required provincial income ...
Inflation rate for April at 2.2%The most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index shows that the overall rate of inflation for the month of April stood at 2.2%, as measured on a year-over-year basis. The rate...
Unemployment rate unchanged in AprilThe most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey indicates that there was no change during the month of April to either employment figures or the overall unemployment rate.
Th...
CRA tax topic podcasts available for downloadThe Canada Revenue Agency prepares and posts podcasts on a number of different tax topics, both individual and corporate. Those podcasts are available for download from the CRA website.
The current s...
Prescribed interest rates for May and JuneThe Canada Revenue Agency has announced the prescribed interest rates for leasing rules which will be in effect during the months of May and June 2018.
Those prescribed rates will be 3.22% during the...
Getting information about your tax refundTaxpayers who have filed their return for the 2017 tax year and are expecting to receive a refund can track the status of that refund payment through a toll-free telephone line. That line, the CRA&rsq...
CRA issues warning on filing season tax scamsThe Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has issued a warning to taxpayers of the need to be particularly vigilant with respect to fraudulent text, telephone, and e-mail communications, which increase during t...
Inflation rate for March reaches 2.3%The most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index indicates that the rate of inflation stood at 2.3% during the month of March 2018, as measured on a year-over-year basis. The ...
Unemployment rate unchanged in MarchThe most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey shows that the rate of unemployment for the month of March 2018 stood at 5.8%. The same rate was recorded for February 2018.
E...
Bank of Canada leaves interest rates unchangedIn its regularly scheduled interest rate announcement made on April 18, the Bank of Canada indicated that no change was required to current interest rates. Accordingly, the Bank Rate will remain at 1....
CRA issues warning on tax scamsWhile taxpayers fall victim to tax scams year-round, such scams are more prevalent during and just following tax filing season. During that time, taxpayers expect to hear from the tax authoritie...
CRA issues e-filers manual for 2017 returnsThe Canada Revenue Agency has issued its Guide RC4018, Electronic Filers Manual for 2017 Income Tax and Benefit Returns. That guide is for use by certified e-filers in filing individual income tax ret...
Unemployment rate down slightly in FebruaryThe most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey shows a small decline in the overall unemployment rate for the month of February 2018. That rate declined from 5.9% in the mont...
Increase in Consumer Price Index for JanuaryThe most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index indicates that the rate of inflation for the month of January 2018 stood at 1.7%. The rate for the previous month was 1.9%.
I...
Bank of Canada leaves interest rates unchangedIn its regularly scheduled interest rate announcement made on March 7, the Bank of Canada indicated that no change would be made to current interest rates. Accordingly, the bank rate remains at 1.5%.
...
Budget 2018 - Service animalsBudget 2018: Eligibility of specially trained service animals will be expanded for the purposes of the medical expense tax credit....
Budget 2018 - CRA compliance ordersBudget 2018: Where a CRA compliance order or information requirement is contested, a new rule will “stop the clock” to prevent the tax year from being statute barred....
Budget 2018 - RDTOHBudget 2018: A corporation will have two RDTOH accounts going forward: eligible and non-eligible RDTOH....
Extended hours for CRA telephone help lineThe Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides a 1-800 telephone service to provide tax information to Canadian taxpayers. Such information can be general in nature, or can involve the specific tax affairs ...
Unemployment rate up slightly in JanuaryThe most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Labor Force Survey shows a slight increase in the overall unemployment rate for the month of January. That rate rose by 0.1%, from 5.8% to 5.9%.
T...
2018-19 Federal Budget date announcedThe Federal Minister of Finance has announced that the 2018-19 federal Budget will be brought down on Tuesday, February 27, 2018.
The Budget will be released at around 4 p.m. and the full Budget Pape...
CRA reinstates telephone tax return filing serviceFor a number of years, taxpayers whose tax situation was relatively straightforward were able to file their return by telephone. That service, which was called TELEFILE, was withdrawn a few years ago....
Bank of Canada raises interest ratesAs widely expected, the Bank of Canada indicated, in its regularly scheduled interest rate announcement made on January 17, that an increase in the bank rate was required.
The Bank’s announceme...
Unemployment rate for December 2017 down to 5.7%The most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey indicates that the unemployment rate for the month of December 2017 stood at 5.7%. The last period for which that rate was reco...
Automobile deduction and benefit limits for 2018Finance Canada has announced the limits and thresholds which will apply for purposes of determining automobile benefits and deductions during 2018.
Most such deduction limits and thresholds are uncha...
Changes to be made to Voluntary Disclosure ProgramThe Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides an administrative program under which taxpayers who have failed to file returns or pay taxes on a timely basis can bring their tax affairs into compliance, usu...
Bank of Canada leaves interest rates unchangedIn its regularly scheduled interest rate announcement made on December 6, the Bank of Canada indicated that, in its view, no change is required to current rates. Accordingly, the bank rate remains at ...
Unemployment rate down in NovemberThe most recent release of Statistic’s Canada’s Labour Force Survey shows a slight decline in the overall unemployment for the month of November. That rate declined by 0.4%, to 5.9%. The N...
T4127 for 2018 payroll deduction amounts releasedThe Canada Revenue Agency has issued the 2018 version of its publication T4127(E), Payroll Deductions Formulas. The guide is intended for use by payroll software providers and by employers which manag...
Inflation rate up by 1.4% in OctoberThe most recent release of Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows an inflation rate of 1.4% for the month of October, as measured on a year-over-year basis. The equivalent rate for...
Finance launches pre-budget consultationsFinance Canada has begun the consultation process leading to the release of the 2018-19 federal Budget.
As part of that budget consultation process, the Minister of Finance is holding in-person publi...
Employment Insurance premium rates for 2018The federal government has announced the premium rates and maximum insurable earnings amount which will be in place for the 2018 calendar year.
The premium rate for the year for employees has been se...
