2023 Federal Budget Commentary

Highlights of the March 28th Federal Budget Commentary Include:

A. Personal Measures

    • Modifications to the alternative minimum tax regime focused on high-income individuals.
    • A one-time grocery rebate equal to two quarterly GST/HST credit payments.
    • Additional flexibility and possibilities with Registered Disability and Registered Education Savings Plans were introduced.

B. Business Measures

    • Modifications to the intergenerational business transfer rules to set requirements for activity by the children in the business and the transfer of control, equity ownership and management from the parents to the children.
    • Introduction of the employee ownership trust structure to provide a mechanism for business owners to transfer ownership in their private corporations to employee groups.
    • Several investment tax credits and other incentives were introduced or modified to encourage investment in clean energy.

C. International Measures

    • Confirmation of the government’s intention to introduce legislation implementing the income allocation rule and a domestic minimum top-up tax applicable to Canadian entities of multinational enterprises consistent with the ECD’s BEPS initiatives.

D. Sales and Excise Tax

    • Increasing the air traveler’s security charge, limiting increases to alcohol excise duties for one year and adjusting the cannabis excise duty remittance frequency.

E. Other Measures

    • New income-tested dental care program for uninsured Canadians.

F. Previously Announced Measures

    • Intention to proceed with previously announced measures, including those related to excessive interest and financing expenses limitations; reporting rules for digital platform operators; extension of the residential property flipping rule to assignment sales; substantive Canadian-controlled private corporations; the mandatory disclosure rules; the electronic filing and certification of tax and information returns; and GST/HST changes in respect of cryptoasset mining.

 

Read the full article below.

Commentary on the Federal Budget 2023