Red Ink on the Prairies

A day after Quebec’s Finance Minister Eric Girard brought down a Budget featuring a $6.3 Billion deficit, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister Jim Reiter tabled his government’s budget on March 19. Next up was Finance Minister Adrian Salas, who tabled the Manitoba Budget on March 24. The common thread: there’s lots of red ink on the Prairies. But that’s where the budget documents differ between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Here’s the latest tax news and why it matters to the advice you give your clients.

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On January 15, the Finance Department released legislative proposals, which amongst other things, changed contentious provisions related to the taxation of certain trusts and estates. Reproduced with permission is the following analysis of the proposals from guest contributor and tax expert Kim Moody.

Canadians have responded enthusiastically to the federal government’s pre-budget consultations; tens of thousands of Canadians have shared their thoughts, the highest-ever turnout for pre-budget consultations on record according to Finance Canada. Suggestions provided by Knowledge Bureau follow. Have you added your voice? It’s easy to do it online at the link above.

When fewer, younger taxpayers must pay most of the taxes while looking after both the elderly and minors, it’s much more difficult for them to accumulate assets for their future, and get good returns on their investments in this environment of de-population.

It has become easier to raise money for private businesses in Canada. Securities regulators in five provinces—Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick—announced last week that they were adopting a prospectus exemption for issuers listed on a Canadian stock exchange. The opportunity: to raise money by distributing securities without the need for an expensive prescribed offering document.