On February 21, 2018, Bill 149, An Act to enhance the Québec Pension Plan and to amend various retirement-related legislative provisions, was passed by the Quebec legislature. QPP Enhancements As outlined in our previous update, Bill 149 enhances the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP), in a manner similar to the forthcoming enhancements to the Canada Pension…
Tag: Income Tax Act
Federal Government Introduces Changes to Canada Labour Code
On October 27, 2017, the federal government introduced Bill C-63, Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2, its second budget implementation bill relating to Budget 2017. Budget implementation bills are a means for the government to follow through with the legislative changes required to bring budget commitments into effect. In addition to changes to the Income…
2018 EI Premium Rate, Maximum Insurable Earnings Set
The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) has set the 2018 Employment Insurance (EI) premium rate at$1.66 per $100 of insurable earnings. This represents a 3 cent increase for employees over the 2017 rate, and 4 cents for employers who pay 1.4 times the employee rate. For Quebec residents covered under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan,…
Employee Discounts: To Tax, or Not to Tax? That is Indeed the Question
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)’s recently revised position on employee discounts is attracting significant media coverage. In 2016, the CRA published an updated technical document on “Benefits and Allowances Received from Employment” (Income Tax Folio S2-F3-C2*), which provides that employee discounts on merchandise for less than fair market value are considered taxable benefits under the…
Secret Ballots No More: Card Check Certification Returns to Federal Sector
On June 19, 2017, Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, the Public Service Labour Relations Act and the Income Tax Act, received Royal Assent. In this Federal Post we discuss Bill C-4 and its significance for employers in the federal sector…
Federal Budget 2017
On March 22, 2017, the federal government tabled its 2017 Budget, Building A Strong Middle Class (#Budget2017). The Budget provides an economic and fiscal overview and introduces a series of programs, reforms and spending initiatives which focus on…
Appellate Court Affirms the Importance of Clearly Drafted Minutes of Settlement
In a recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal, RJM56 Investments Inc v Kurnik, the Court supported an employer’s reasonable conduct in withholding and remitting amounts owing to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in the face of ambiguous minutes of settlement, and in so doing emphasized the need for carefully drafted minutes of settlement….
Expanded CPP: The Next Generation
Legislative reforms have now been tabled to implement the much-anticipated expanded Canada Pension Plan (CPP) for Canadians. Find out what may be coming next – and what your organization should be doing now to prepare for it…
Annuitization of Supplementary Pension Benefits: Less Favourable Tax Treatment Arrives January 1, 2017
On January 1, 2017, changes to Canadian tax rules come into force that will impact how certain annuity payments are taxed. For prescribed annuities purchased after that date, more of each payment will become taxable as a result of these changes…
Countdown to ORPP: Ontario Tables New Implementation Legislation
Long-awaited Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) legislation was introduced on Thursday, April 14, 2016, which, if passed in its present form, will provide the statutory framework and timeline for full ORPP implementation by January 1, 2020…