C-31 (45-1) - Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2

This article is new today!

Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
Date: 2026-10-30 12:26:14.0
Tags: [National, Finance, Taxation, Economy, Governance]

Bill C-31 (45th Parliament, 1st Session), titled the Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2 and sponsored by Minister of Finance and National Revenue, has advanced to the report stage in the House of Commons following committee review by the Standing Committee on Finance, which presented its report with amendments on October 30, 2026. The legislation implements provisions stemming from the federal budget tabled on November 4, 2025, and the 2026 Spring Economic Update titled 'Canada Strong For All'. The Senate has concurrently authorized pre-study of the bill's subject matter across multiple standing committees, including the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance and specialized sectoral committees assigned to specific divisions of Part 4 of the bill.

Dormant site of cancelled Downtown high-rise listed at $4 million

This article is new today!

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-30 11:07:29.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Housing, Taxation]

The dormant $34-million high-rise development site at 121 Street and 102 Avenue in Edmonton, originally planned by Open Sky Developments as a 22-storey apartment complex with 185 units, has been listed for sale at $4 million by JLL after being abandoned by its former contractor. Ward O-day-min Councillor Anne Stevenson noted that the property narrowly avoided Edmonton's derelict commercial property tax subclass due to legal definitions regarding land improvements, prompting municipal officials to petition the provincial government to amend legislation to allow higher tax rates for abandoned commercial parcels.

2025-26 Public Accounts Volume 2 Released

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-29 23:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Finance, Governance, Taxation]

The Government of Saskatchewan released the 2025-26 Public Accounts Volume 2, detailing expense and revenue information for ministries, the Legislative Assembly, and its officers from the General Revenue Fund. Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Jim Reiter noted that ministry travel expenses reached $45.1 million in 2025-26, representing a 1.1 per cent or $0.5 million increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, government-wide communications expenses decreased by $1.2 million to $12.1 million in 2025-26 compared to $13.3 million in 2024-25, continuing a 28 per cent reduction from $16.8 million in 2007-08. The report also includes pension plan and trust fund balances, a Statement of Remission of Taxes and Fees, and the Road Use Fuel Tax Accountability Report, following the release of Volume 1 on June 30, 2026.

Minister Pardy Introduces Legislation to Reduce Gas Tax to Zero

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-29 18:55:16.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Taxation, Affordability, Finance, Energy]

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through Minister of Finance Craig Pardy, introduced legislation to reduce the provincial tax on gasoline and diesel to 0 cents per litre. This policy removes the existing provincial taxes of 7.5 cents per litre for gasoline and 9.5 cents per litre for diesel, resulting in total savings at the pump—including Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)—of 8.625 cents per litre for gasoline vehicles and 10.925 cents per litre for diesel vehicles. Furthermore, the legislative amendments establish a safeguard mechanism to maintain the provincial fuel tax at zero as long as oil prices stay above a specified threshold, forming part of the provincial government's broader $275 million cost-of-living relief initiative.

Minister Pardy Introduces Legislation to Reduce Gas Tax to Zero

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-29 18:55:16.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Taxation, Finance, Affordability, Energy]

On October 29, 2026, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Finance Craig Pardy introduced legislation to reduce the provincial tax on gasoline and diesel to 0 cents per litre, down from 7.5 cents and 9.5 cents respectively. Factoring in the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), drivers will save 8.625 cents per litre on gasoline and 10.925 cents per litre on diesel amidst record high fuel prices. The legislative amendments also establish a protective mechanism to keep provincial fuel taxes at zero for as long as oil prices remain above a specified threshold. This measure is part of the Provincial Government's broader Budget 2026 initiative, which has invested over $275 million in cost-of-living relief.

A Plan to Protect Ontario

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Finance
Date: 2026-10-29 18:10:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Economy, Taxation, Finance, Trade, Industry]

Ontario Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy released the 2026 Ontario Economic and Fiscal Review: A Plan to Protect Ontario, projecting a deficit of $16.9 billion in 2026-27 and a return to a balanced budget in 2029-30. The fiscal plan features an $8 billion Ontario Competitiveness Tax Cut tied to the federal Productivity Mega Deduction, an $8.7 billion Canada-Ontario action plan targeting the steel, automotive, and critical minerals sectors, and nearly $30 billion in cumulative tariff relief and business supports implemented since April 2025. Additionally, the government committed to streamlining 35 to 50 percent of the province's 375 business-facing permits by the end of 2028 and restoring capital expenditures as eligible under the Ontario Research and Development Tax Credit and Ontario Innovation Tax Credit to provide over $50 million in tax support over three years.

S-253 (45-1) - Making Child Care More Affordable for Canadian Families Act

Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
Date: 2026-10-29 00:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Taxation, Affordability, Social Services, Governance]

Bill S-253, titled the Making Child Care More Affordable for Canadian Families Act, was introduced and read for the first time in the Senate on October 29, 2026. The Senate Public Bill proposes to amend the Income Tax Act specifically regarding the child care expense deduction indexation. The legislation is currently at the second reading stage in the Senate during the 1st session of the 45th Parliament.

Province Announces $8 Billion Ontario Competitiveness Tax Cut to Support Investment and Create 30,000 Jobs

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Finance
Date: 2026-10-28 14:08:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Taxation, Economy, Finance, Trade, Industry]

The Ontario Ministry of Finance announced the $8 billion Ontario Competitiveness Tax Cut as part of its multi-year Tax Action Plan to counter U.S. tariffs and lower business investment costs. Administered as the provincial counterpart to the federal Productivity Mega Deduction, the policy allows eligible businesses to immediately write off 100 per cent of capital investments in assets such as fibre-optic cables, software, aircraft, machinery, and patents. The measure is projected to drive at least $11 billion in new capital investment, add $6 billion to the provincial GDP, and support the creation of 30,000 new jobs over five years. Combined with prior initiatives from Budget 2026, total business tax relief will exceed $12 billion over five years, reducing Ontario's Marginal Effective Tax Rate to 3.6 per cent.

Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency Operating Effectively: Independent Review

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-26 23:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Taxation, Governance, Infrastructure]

The Government of Saskatchewan released an independent review conducted by Upfront Consulting regarding the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA), which manages a property assessment base valued at over $278 billion supporting approximately $2.63 billion in annual municipal and education property taxes. The review concluded that SAMA is operating effectively with strong professional competence and management capacity, while identifying four specific areas for improvement: board member appointments, advisory committees, stakeholder engagement, and conflict of interest guidelines. Government Relations Minister Eric Schmalz and SAMA CEO Shaun Cooney noted that the findings will be used to enhance transparency, stakeholder participation, and the province's property revaluation cycle.

Provincial Government Cutting Gas Tax on Gasoline and Diesel to Zero Beginning December 1

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-26 14:15:53.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Taxation, Affordability, Energy, Finance]

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through Minister of Finance Craig Pardy, announced that the provincial gas tax on gasoline and diesel will be reduced to zero cents per litre from December 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027. The Provincial Government will introduce legislative amendments in the House of Assembly to enact these changes and establish a permanent mechanism to keep the provincial fuel tax at zero whenever fuel prices exceed a specified threshold. This measure represents $25 million in affordability relief, contributing to a broader $79 million cost-of-living package that also includes the accelerated Churchill Falls Electricity Rebate and a doubled Home Heating Supplement.

Ontario Saving Businesses $160 Million as WSIB Lowers Premiums

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Date: 2026-10-22 14:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Economy, Labour, Taxation, Trade]

The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development announced that the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will decrease its average premium rate from $1.23 to $1.18 per $100 of insurable payroll, effective January 1, 2027, saving employers a total of $160 million. This reduction applies to over 80 per cent of premium-paying businesses—encompassing approximately 330,000 insured businesses and 5.6 million workers—and lowers Ontario's average WSIB premium rate to nearly 30 per cent below the national average. The initiative is paired with broader provincial economic measures to offset U.S. tariffs, including cutting the small business corporate income tax rate from 3.2 per cent to 2.2 per cent to deliver $1.1 billion in relief, investing $150 million through the Ontario Together Trade Fund, expanding the $1 billion Protect Ontario Financing Program, and allocating $228 million through the Canada–Ontario Workforce Tariff Response.

Premier Wakeham Announces $54 Million in Additional Affordability Relief

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-22 12:50:01.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Affordability, Energy, Taxation, Finance]

Premier Tony Wakeham and Minister of Finance Craig Pardy announced a $54 million affordability package to assist residents of Newfoundland and Labrador with winter energy costs. The initiative accelerates the implementation of the Churchill Falls Electricity Rebate starting in January 2027, providing residential customers of Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro a 15 per cent reduction (up to 2,000 kilowatt-hours per month) estimated at $351 annually, costing $45 million for the remainder of the 2026-27 fiscal year. Additionally, the maximum Home Heating Supplement for households relying on furnace or stove oil is doubled from $500 to $1,000 for the 2026 program, providing roughly $9 million in relief to approximately 9,000 current applicants.

P.E.I. farmer claims victory after settling lawsuit with CRA over shared tax information

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-21 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Taxation, Justice, Agriculture, Environment]

Prince Edward Island potato farmer Alex Docherty, his son Logan Docherty, and their company Skye View Farms settled a $450,000 civil lawsuit in Federal Court against the Canada Revenue Agency in January 2026. The lawsuit alleged the Canada Revenue Agency unlawfully shared personal and corporate tax records with an environmental officer and a Crown prosecutor during a regulatory investigation stemming from a 2016 fish kill in Clyde River, for which Docherty was ultimately acquitted. While the Canada Revenue Agency cited taxpayer confidentiality provisions and declined to comment on the settlement, Docherty is calling on Members of Parliament to clarify or amend federal laws regarding the unauthorized sharing of tax data.

Industry leader lauds Edmonton's proposed industrial investment plan

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-21 20:53:29.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Economy, Taxation, Industry, Infrastructure]

The City of Edmonton is considering a new industrial investment plan during its upcoming four-year budget deliberations to stimulate non-residential tax growth and job creation. Proposed incentives include a 25 per cent property tax forgiveness for three years for new industrial builds—costing the city roughly $1 million annually while opening up 15 hectares of land per year—and a $23 million four-year 'first mover' plan allowing developers to apply for municipal infrastructure cost reimbursements. Panattoni Development vice-president Mark Edwards lauded the initiatives, noting they will help overcome investment freezes and competition from surrounding municipalities with lower service costs. Currently, only 2.6 per cent of Edmonton's industrial land is shovel-ready, falling short of the city's 4.5 per cent target.

N.W.T. finance minister says no emergency relief from fuel price shock, but pushes Ottawa for support

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-21 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Finance, Energy, Taxation, Affordability]

Northwest Territories Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek rejected calls from MLAs to slash the territorial gas and diesel tax—which generates an estimated $15 million annually—or provide immediate emergency heating fuel subsidies ahead of winter. Testifying before the federal standing committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Wawzonek criticized federal funding programs like the $2-billion heat pump initiative as unsuitable for northern climates and pressed Ottawa for customized support to address energy and affordability challenges where transport and heating costs are double the national average. She noted the territorial government already provides over $18 million in direct annual energy subsidies and warned that low water levels threatening the hydro system will force the territory to rely more heavily on costly diesel generation.

Small Businesses are the Backbone of Saskatchewan's Economy

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-21 02:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Economy, Taxation, Industry, Labour]

The Government of Saskatchewan recognized Small Business Week for October 19 to 25, 2026, and released the Saskatchewan Small Business Profile by the Ministry of Trade and Export Development. The report notes that the province is home to 156,850 small businesses (defined federally as having fewer than 50 employees), which accounted for 98.8 percent of all businesses in 2025, employed approximately 30 percent of the provincial workforce, and provided over $8.3 billion in wages and salaries. The province maintains a permanent small business tax rate of 1 percent and has increased the small business income threshold from $500,000 to $600,000.

S-217 (45-1) - Fairness for All Canadian Taxpayers Act (measuring the tax gap to fight international tax evasion)

Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
Date: 2026-10-20 18:20:18.0
Tags: [National, Taxation, Finance, Governance]

Bill S-217, titled the Fairness for All Canadian Taxpayers Act (measuring the tax gap to fight international tax evasion), is a Senate Public Bill introduced by Senator Percy E. Downe to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act regarding reporting on unpaid income tax. After completing its stages in the Senate, the bill crossed over to the House of Commons where it achieved second reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) on October 20, 2026. The legislation builds upon similar previously introduced bills, such as S-258 from the 44th Parliament and S-243 from the 42nd Parliament, aimed at improving fiscal transparency around Canada's tax gap.

Ontario Celebrates Small Business Week

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
Date: 2026-10-19 14:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Economy, Taxation, Finance, Industry, Labour]

In recognition of Small Business Week, Associate Minister Nina Tangri highlighted that Ontario's over 500,000 small businesses employ nearly 2.5 million people. The 2026 Ontario Budget cut the small business corporate income tax rate from 3.2 per cent to 2.2 per cent, providing $1.1 billion in relief and up to $5,000 in annual savings to over 375,000 small businesses. Additionally, the government is investing a record $49 million over the next three years in the Ontario Small Business Advisory Centres (OSBACs) network across more than 50 locations, alongside ongoing investments in Futurpreneur and Summer Company.

Minister Pardy Tables 2025-26 Public Accounts

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-16 16:05:45.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Finance, Economy, Taxation, Infrastructure]

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador released its independently audited 2025-26 Public Accounts ahead of the November 1 statutory deadline, revealing a deficit of $377.6 million, which is $5.8 million higher than originally budgeted. Total revenue exceeded the budget by $420.8 million, bolstered by offshore royalties reaching $1.7 billion—approximately $350 million higher than the previous year—along with increased taxation and federal revenues. The province invested approximately $774 million in capital acquisitions for public infrastructure, transportation assets, health care facilities, and schools, while net debt at year-end was approximately $434 million lower than originally budgeted and the unfunded pension liability declined by approximately $483 million.

He followed a debunked conspiracy theory to claim a tax refund. So why did the CRA agree to a $40M payout?

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-16 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, British Columbia, Taxation, Finance, Public Safety]

An investigative report by CBC's the fifth estate revealed that individuals following "sovereign citizen" conspiracy theories have successfully defrauded the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) of millions of dollars in bogus tax refunds due to severe gaps in fraud detection systems. In the summer of 2023, ironworker Jonathon Pearce of Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, filed false tax returns claiming more than $40 million, resulting in the CRA depositing over $10 million into his personal bank account despite internal red flags and a pre-refund phone call where he outlined his anti-tax beliefs. Leaked internal records show nearly $300 million in bogus claims linked to the same tax scheme were identified between May 2023 and January 2024, prompting the CRA to launch criminal investigations and execute search warrants against promoters such as Bernard Yankson and Angela Albright Bowolin in British Columbia.