Finance Canada Releases Draft Legislation January 29

February 27, 2026 is the last date to comment on a raft of draft legislation released at the end of January covering provisions from the November 4, 2025 Federal budget,  the Fall 2024 Economic Statement, amendments from Budget 2021 regarding Hybrid Mismatching Arrangements, technical changes to two investment tax credits, dating back to 2022 and 2023, as well as corporate changes regarding the Global Minimum Tax.  The key measures to note appear below:

The government has recently appointed a new Task Force on Women in the Economy.  However, what’s missing among the 18 educated and highly qualified women on the board* is representation from the many women who, through self-employment and independent business ownership, contribute so much to growth in our economy. That’s a big miss.  Here is why that is important: 

The timing could be better.  The federal government has chosen April 19, 2021 as the date for their first federal budget in two years,  in the midst of a third wave of a trying pandemic.  This could also well be the busiest week of tax season for taxpayers and their advisors. Yet, the important roadmap to economic recovery and the tax changes to pay for it will likely be set forth. Join us for a special Knowlege Bureau Report after the budget day.

Many taxpayers are unaware and in fact shocked to learn that the bushel of apples, gaggle of geese, or barter services of any kind provided in anyway, including those online, are taxable.  Whether they are paid in kind to settle a debt or simply as a trade, all have a commercial value that may have tax implications.

The CRA recently released an important technical newsletter to make changes to Independent Pension Plan (IPP) rules. Some experts in the personal pension planning space think that this is a good thing.  Here is what’s at the centre of the  issue and why.

Trading goods and services has become much more sophisticated over the years.  In particular CRA is watching social media for evidence of unreported income or capital transactions, for example, popular Airbnb rentals. They consider this new “platform economy” to include any economic and social activities that connect buyers and sellers of goods or services via mobile apps or the internet.  There are 4 platforms in particular that will be audit-prone in 2021.

With the dramatic increase in digital solutions, and the challenges presented by the pandemic, more of your clients may require more frequent communications, improved collaboration between their financial professionals and more efficient processes in building wealth with all family stakeholders.  In a highly complex tax and investment environment, differentiate yourself as a Real Wealth Manager™.  Your new high value professional skills will help you connect the dots, and when you do, a bonus:   you’ll receive an invitation to join in on some important peer-to-peer networking opportunities coming up this spring – exclusively for Real Wealth Managers™.