The UHT May Be Cancelled, But Vacancy Taxes Remain

As tax professionals, you are keenly aware of the constant changes our federal government makes to the Income Tax Act. Adjustments are made, and you must adapt. Not often, though, is a tax eliminated altogether. But in the case of the Underused Housing Tax (UHT), that is exactly what has happened – it was cancelled in the federal budget of November 4, 2025, but Canada’s underused housing taxes have not been eliminated. Here’s what you need to know for tax season 2026.

The federal government has extended pandemic support benefits, in the midst of a reopening of the economy; many believe in advance of a federal election announcement expected soon.  However, the benefits have significant changes in them.  This report provides an overview of the CRB, the Canada Recovery Benefit changes.

In an unfortunate series of miscommunications, self-employed people were given inaccurate information about eligibility requirements for claiming CERB in 2020.  Under heavy warnings to repay the benefits they may have received, many reached into their pre-Christmas cash flow to do just that.  Now with new Form T183E, the money can be recovered again.  Application processing began June 15 and applicants can expect reimbursement within 90 days. 

To address the self-employment gross vs. net issue, the Government of Canada registered the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit Remission Order (“Remission Order”) on May 12, 2021. The Remission Order redresses the self-employed workers who did not qualify for CERB because of the gross vs. net issue by providing that a self-employed Canadian earning less than $5,000 in net income who received CERB, who otherwise would have qualified for CERB, need not return the CERB monies.

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