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Income tax in Canada

Income taxes in Canada constitute the majority of the annual revenues of the Government of Canada, and of the governments of the Provinces of Canada. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, the federal government collected just over three times more revenue from personal income taxes than it did from corporate income taxes.[1]

Tax collection agreements enable different governments to levy taxes through a single administration and collection agency. The federal government collects personal income taxes on behalf of all provinces and territories. It also collects corporate income taxes on behalf of all provinces and territories except Alberta. Canada's federal income tax system is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Canadian federal income taxes, both personal and corporate income taxes, are levied under the provisions of the Income Tax Act.[2] Provincial and territorial income taxes are levied under various provincial statutes.

The Canadian income tax system is a self-assessment regime. Taxpayers assess their tax liability by filing a return with the CRA by the required filing deadline. CRA will then assess the return based on the return filed and on information it has obtained from employers and financial companies, correcting it for obvious errors. A taxpayer who disagrees with the CRA's assessment of a particular return may appeal the assessment. The appeal process starts when a taxpayer formally objects to the CRA assessment, on prescribed form T400A. The objection must explain, in writing, the reasons for the appeal along with all the related facts. The objection is then reviewed by the appeals branch of the CRA. An appealed assessment may either be confirmed, vacated, or varied by the CRA. If the assessment is confirmed or varied, the taxpayer may appeal the decision to the Tax Court of Canada and then to the Federal Court of Appeal.

History edit

Unlike the United Kingdom and the United States, Canada had avoided charging an income tax prior to the First World War. The lack of income tax was seen as a key component in Canada's efforts to attract immigrants, as Canada offered a lower tax regime compared to almost every other country. Prior to the war, Canadian federal governments relied on tariffs and customs income under the auspices of the National Policy for most of their revenue, and the provincial governments sustained themselves primarily through their management of natural resources (the Prairie Provinces were paid subsidies by the federal government as Ottawa retained control of their natural resources). The Liberal Party considered the probable need to introduce an income tax if their negotiation of a free trade agreement with the United States in the early 20th century succeeded, but the Conservatives defeated the Liberals in 1911 by opposing free trade. The Conservative Party opposed income tax as it wanted to attract immigrants primarily from the United Kingdom and the United States, and it wanted to give immigrants an incentive to come to Canada.

Then Canadian Finance Minister Sir Thomas White's new "Income War Tax Act" bill went into Committee of the Whole on July 25, 1917 but faced resistance.[3] Wartime expenses forced the Tories to re-consider their options and in 1918, the wartime government under Sir Robert Borden, imposed an income tax to cover expenses. Despite the new tax, the Canadian government ran up considerable debts during the war and was unable to forgo income tax revenue after the war ended. With the election of the Liberal government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, much of the National Policy was dismantled, and income tax has remained in place ever since.

Constitutional authority edit

The constitutional authority for the federal income tax is found in Section 91, Paragraph 3, of the Constitution Act, 1867, which assigns to the federal Parliament power over "the raising of Money by any Mode or System of Taxation".

The constitutional authority for the various provincial income taxes is found in section 92 paragraph 2 of the Constitution Act, 1867, which assigns to the legislature of each province the power of "Direct Taxation within the Province in order to the raising of a Revenue for Provincial Purposes". The courts have held that "an income tax is the most typical form of direct taxation".[4]

Personal income taxes edit

Canada levies personal income tax on the worldwide income of individual residents in Canada and on certain types of Canadian-source income earned by non-resident individuals. The Income Tax Act, Part I, subparagraph 2(1), states: "An income tax shall be paid, as required by this Act, on the taxable income for each taxation year of every person resident in Canada at any time in the year."

After the calendar year, Canadian residents file a T1 Tax and Benefit Return[5] for individuals. It is due April 30, or June 15 for self-employed individuals and their spouses, or common-law partners. It is important to note, however, that any balance owing is due on or before April 30. Outstanding balances remitted after April 30 may be subject to interest charges, regardless of whether the taxpayer's filing due date is April 30 or June 15.

The amount of income tax that an individual must pay is based on the amount of their taxable income (income earned less allowed expenses) for the tax year. Personal income tax may be collected through various means:

  1. deduction at source - where income tax is deducted directly from an individual's pay and sent to the CRA.
  2. instalment payments - where an individual must pay his or her estimated taxes during the year instead of waiting to settle up at the end of the year.
  3. payment on filing - payments made with the income tax return
  4. arrears payments - payments made after the return is filed

Employers may also deduct Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan (CPP/QPP) contributions, Employment Insurance (EI) and Provincial Parental Insurance (PPIP) premiums from their employees' gross pay. Employers then send these deductions to the taxing authority.

Individuals who have overpaid taxes or had excess tax deducted at source will receive a refund from the CRA upon filing their annual tax return.

Generally, personal income tax returns for a particular year must be filed with CRA on or before April 30 of the following year.

Basic calculation edit

An individual taxpayer must report his or her total income for the year. Certain deductions are allowed in determining "net income", such as deductions for contributions to Registered Retirement Savings Plans, union and professional dues, child care expenses, and business investment losses. Net income is used for determining several income-tested social benefits provided by the federal and provincial/territorial governments. Further deductions are allowed in determining "taxable income", such as capital losses, half of capital gains included in income, and a special deduction for residents of northern Canada. Deductions permit certain amounts to be excluded from taxation altogether.

"Tax payable before credits" is determined using five tax brackets and tax rates. Non-refundable tax credits are then deducted from tax payable before credits for various items such as a basic personal amount, dependents, Canada/Quebec Pension Plan contributions, Employment Insurance premiums, disabilities, tuition and education and medical expenses. These credits are calculated by multiplying the credit amount (e.g., the basic personal amount of $11,038 in 2013) by the lowest tax rate. This mechanism is designed to provide equal benefit to taxpayers regardless of the rate at which they pay tax.

A non-refundable tax credit for charitable donations is calculated at the lowest tax rate for the first $200 in a year, and at the highest tax rate for the portion in excess of $200. Donations can result in a reduction in taxes of between 40 and 60% of the donation depending on the province of the taxpayer and type of property donated. This tax credit is designed to encourage more generous charitable giving.

Certain other tax credits are provided to recognize tax already paid so that the income is not taxed twice:

  • the dividend tax credit provides recognition of tax paid at the corporate level on income distributed from a Canadian corporation to individual shareholders; and
  • the foreign tax credit recognizes tax paid to a foreign government on income earned in a foreign country.

Provincial and territorial personal income taxes edit

Provinces and territories that have entered into tax collection agreements with the federal government for collection of personal income taxes ("agreeing provinces", i.e., all provinces and territories except Quebec) must use the federal definition of "taxable income" as the basis for their taxation. This means that they are not allowed to provide or ignore federal deductions in calculating the income on which provincial tax is based.

Provincial and territorial governments provide both non-refundable tax credits and refundable tax credits to taxpayers for certain expenses. They may also apply surtaxes and offer low-income tax reductions.

Canada Revenue Agency collects personal income taxes for agreeing provinces/territories and remits the revenues to the respective governments. The provincial/territorial tax forms are distributed with the federal tax forms, and the taxpayer need make only one payment—to CRA—for both types of tax. Similarly, if a taxpayer is to receive a refund, he or she receives one cheque or bank transfer for the combined federal and provincial/territorial tax refund. Information on provincial rates can be found on the Canada Revenue Agency's website.[6] Individuals in Canada generally pay income taxes on employment and investment income to the province in which they reside on December 31 of the tax year. This ensures that taxpayers who live in one province and work in another, or who move from one province to another in most cases only have to file a tax return for one province. Individuals with business income have to pay tax on the business income to the province in which it was earned. If it was earned in more than one province, it is allocated based on a formula in the Income Tax Regulations. In addition to the income tax levied as a percentage of taxable income, two provinces, Prince Edward Island and Ontario, levy surtaxes as a percentage of tax over a certain threshold.

2021 Provincial Personal Income Tax Rates[7]
Province/Territory Tax brackets (income categories and tax rates) Surtax (% of tax)
Alberta $0 – $131,220 $131,220 – $157,464 $157,464 – $209,952 $209,952 – $314,928 over $314,928
10% 12% 13% 14% 15%
British
Columbia
$0 – $42,184 $42,184 – $84,369 $84,369 – $96,866 $96,866 – $117,623 $117,623 – $159,483 $159,483 – $222,420 over $222,420
5.06% 7.7% 10.5% 12.29% 14.7% 16.8% 20.5%
Manitoba $0 – $33,723 $32,723 – $72,885 over $72,885
10.8% 12.75% 17.4%
New Brunswick $0 – $43,835 $43,835 – $87,671 $87,671 – $142,534 $142,534 – $162,383 over $162,383
9.68% 14.82% 16.52% 17.84% 20.3%
Newfoundland
and Labrador
$0 – $38,081 $38,081 – $76,161 $76,161 – $135,973 $135,973 – $190,363 over $190,363
8.7% 14.5% 15.8% 17.3% 18.3%
Northwest
Territories
$0 – $44,396 $44,396 – $88,796 $88,796 – 144,362 over $144,362
5.9% 8.6% 12.2% 14.05%
Nova Scotia $0 – $29,590 $29,590 – $59,180 $59,180 – $93,000 $93,000 – $150,000 over $150,000
8.79% 14.95% 16.67% 17.5% 21%
Nunavut $0 – $46,740 $46,740 – $93,480 $93,480 – $151,978 over $151,978
4% 7% 9% 11.5%
Ontario[8] $0 – $45,142 $45,142 – $90,287 $90,287 – $150,000 $150,000 – $220,000 over $220,000 $4874 – $6237 over $6237
5.05% 9.15% 11.16% 12.16% 13.16% 20% 56%
Prince Edward
Island[9]
$0 – $31,984 $31,984 – $63,969 over $63,969 over $12,500
9.8% 13.8% 16.7% 10%
Quebec[10] $0 – $45,105 $45,105 – $90,200 $90,200 – $109,755 over $109,755
15% 20% 24% 25.75%
Saskatchewan $0 – $45,677 $45,677 – $130,506 over $130,506
10.5% 12.5% 14.5%
Yukon $0 – $49,020 $49,020 – $98,040 $98,040 – $151,978 $151,978 – $500,000 over $500,000
6.4% 9% 10.9% 12.8% 15%

Quebec edit

Quebec administers its own personal income tax system, and therefore is free to determine its own definition of taxable income. To maintain simplicity for taxpayers, however, Quebec parallels many aspects of and uses many definitions found in the federal tax system.

Quebec chooses to receive part of its health and social transfers in tax points instead of cash. To compensate for this, federal personal income taxes on income earned in Quebec are reduced by 16.5% of federal tax. This is referred to as the Quebec Abatement.[11]

Federal marginal tax rates edit

The following historical personal federal marginal tax rates of the Government of Canada come from the website of the Canada Revenue Agency. They do not include applicable provincial income taxes. Data on marginal tax rates from 1998 to 2018 are publicly available.[12] Data on basic personal amounts (personal exemption taxed at 0%) can be found on a year by year basis is also available.[13] Their values are contained on line 300 of either the document "Schedule 1 - Federal Tax", or "General Income Tax and Benefit Guide", of each year by year General Income Tax and Benefit Package listed. The personal exemption is listed as it always applies. Additional deductions may be applied depending on eligibility, see.[14] The most common additional deductions are Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Employment Insurance (EI) and employment credit. Exempt amounts are calculated, multiplied by the lowest tax rate and the result is tax credits that reduce the total amount of tax owed.

Year Personal Amount Canadian Federal Marginal Tax Rates of Taxable Income
2024 [15] $15,000 $0 – $53,359 $53,359 - $106,717 $106,717 - $165,430 $165,430 - $235,675 over $235,675
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2021 $13,808 $0 – $49,020 $49,020 - $98,040 $98,040 - $151,978 $151,978 - $216,511 over $216,511
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2020 $13,229 $0 – $48,535 $48,535 - $97,069 $97,069 - $150,473 $150,473 - $214,368 over $214,368
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2019 $12,069 $0 – $47,630 $47,630 - $95,259 $95,259 - $147,667 $147,667 - $210,371 over $210,371
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2018[16] $11,809 $0 – $46,605 $46,605 - $93,208 $93,208 - $144,489 $144,489 - $205,842 over $205,842
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2017 $11,635 $0 – $45,916 $45,916 - $91,831 $91,831 - $142,353 $142,353 - $202,800 over $202,800
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2016 $11,474 $0 – $45,282 $45,282 - $90,563 $90,563 - $140,388 $140,388 - $200,000 over $200,000
0% 15% 20.5% 26% 29% 33%
2015 $11,327 $0 – $44,701 $44,701 - $89,401 $89,401 - $138,586 over $138,586
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2014 $11,138 $0 – $43,953 $43,954 - $87,907 $87,908 - $136,270 over $136,270
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2013 $11,038 $0 – $43,561 $43,562 - $87,123 $87,124 - $135,054 over $135,055
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2012 $10,822 $0 – $42,706 $42,707 - $85,413 $85,414 - $132,405 over $132,406
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2011
$10,527 $0 – $41,544 $41,544 - $83,088 $83,088 - $128,800 over $128,800
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2010
$10,382 $0 – $40,970 $40,971 - $81,941 $81,942 - $127,021 over $127,021
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2009
$10,320 $0 – $40,726 $40,727 - $81,452 $81,453 - $126,264 over $126,264
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2008
$9,600 $0 – $37,885 $37,886 - $75,769 $75,770 - $123,184 over $123,184
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2007 $9,600 $0 – $37,178 $37,178 - $74,357 $74,357 - $120,887 over $120,887
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2006 $8,839 $0 – $36,378 $36,378 - $72,756 $72,756 - $118,285 over $118,285
0% 15.25% 22% 26% 29%
2005 $8,648 $0 – $35,595 $35,595 - $71,190 $71,190 - $115,739 over $115,739
0% 15% 22% 26% 29%
2004 $8,012 $0 – $35,000 $35,000 - $70,000 $70,000 - $113,804 over $113,804
0% 16% 22% 26% 29%
2003 $7,756 $0 – $32,183 $32,183 - $64,368 $64,368 - $104,648 over $104,648
0% 16% 22% 26% 29%
2002 $7,634 $0 – $31,677 $31,677 - $63,354 $63,354 - $103,000 over $103,000
0% 16% 22% 26% 29%
2001 $7,412 $0 – $30,754 $30,754 - $61,509 $61,509 - $100,000 over $100,000
0% 16% 22% 26% 29%
2000 $7,231 $0 – $30,004 $30,004 - $60,009 over $60,009
0% 17% 25% 29%
1999 $6,794 $0 – $29,590 $29,590 - $59,180 over $59,180
0% 17% 26% 29%
1998 $6,456 $0 – $29,590 $29,590 - $59,180 over $59,180
0% 17% 26% 29%

The rates above do not account for federal surtax nor surtax reduction prior to 2001.

Income not taxed edit

The following types of income are not taxed in Canada (this list is not exhaustive):

  • gifts and inheritances;
  • death benefits paid from a life insurance policy;
  • lottery winnings;
  • winnings from betting or gambling for simple recreation or enjoyment;
  • strike pay;
  • income earned within a Tax-Free Savings Account;
  • compensation paid by a province or territory to a victim of a criminal act or a motor vehicle accident;[Note 1]
  • certain civil and military service pensions;
  • income from certain international organizations of which Canada is a member, such as the United Nations and its agencies;
  • war disability pensions;
  • RCMP pensions or compensation paid in respect of injury, disability, or death;[Note 1]
  • income of First Nations, if situated on a reserve;
  • capital gain on the sale of a taxpayer's principal residence;
  • provincial child tax credits or benefits and Québec family allowances;
  • Working income tax benefit;
  • the Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized Sales Tax credit (GST/HST credit), Quebec Sales Tax credit or Saskatchewan Sales Tax Credit;
  • the Canada Child Tax Benefit.

Note that, the method by which these forms of income are not taxed can vary significantly, which may have tax and other implications; some forms of income are not declared, while others are declared and then immediately deducted in full. Some of the tax exemptions are based on statutory enactments, others (like the non-taxability of lottery winnings) are based on the non-statutory common law concept of "income". In certain cases, the deduction may require off-setting income, while in other cases, the deduction may be used without corresponding income. Income which is declared and then deducted, for example, may create room for future Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) deductions. But then the RRSP contribution room may be reduced with a pension adjustment if you are part of another plan, reducing the ability to use RRSP contributions as a deduction.

Deductions which are not directly linked to non-taxable income exist, which reduce overall taxable income. A key example is RRSP contributions, which is a form of tax-deferred savings account (income tax is paid only at withdrawal, and no interim tax is payable on account earnings).

Corporate income taxes edit

Corporate taxes include taxes on corporate income in Canada and other taxes and levies paid by corporations to the various levels of government in Canada. These include capital and insurance premium taxes; payroll levies (e.g., employment insurance, Canada Pension Plan, Quebec Pension Plan and Workers' Compensation); property taxes; and indirect taxes, such as goods and services tax (GST), and sales and excise taxes, levied on business inputs.

Corporations are subject to tax in Canada on their worldwide income if they are resident in Canada for Canadian tax purposes. Corporations not resident in Canada are subject to Canadian tax on certain types of Canadian source income (Section 115 of the Canadian Income Tax Act).

Effective January 1, 2012, the net federal corporate income tax rate in Canada was 15%, or 11% for corporations able to claim the small business deduction; in addition, corporations are subject to provincial income tax that may range from zero to 16%, depending on the province and the size of the business.[17]

Corporation types edit

The taxes payable by a Canadian resident corporation depend on the type of corporation that it is:

  • A Canadian-controlled private corporation, which is defined as a corporation that is:
    • resident in Canada and either incorporated in Canada or resident in Canada from June 18, 1971, to the end of the taxation year;
    • not controlled directly or indirectly by one or more non-resident persons;
    • not controlled directly or indirectly by one or more public corporations (other than a prescribed venture capital corporation, as defined in Regulation 6700);
    • not controlled by a Canadian resident corporation that lists its shares on a prescribed stock exchange outside of Canada;
    • not controlled directly or indirectly by any combination of persons described in the three preceding conditions; if all of its shares that are owned by a non-resident person, by a public corporation (other than a prescribed venture capital corporation), or by a corporation with a class of shares listed on a prescribed stock exchange, were owned by one person, that person would not own sufficient shares to control the corporation; and
    • no class of its shares of capital stock is listed on a prescribed stock exchange.
  • A private corporation, which is defined as a corporation that is:
    • resident in Canada;
    • not a public corporation;
    • not controlled by one or more public corporations (other than a prescribed venture capital corporation, as defined in Regulation 6700);
    • not controlled by one or more prescribed federal Crown corporations (as defined in Regulation 7100); and
    • not controlled by any combination of corporations described in the two preceding conditions.
  • A public corporation, defined as a corporation that is resident in Canada and meets either of the following requirements at the end of the taxation year:
    • it has a class of shares listed on a prescribed Canadian stock exchange; or
    • it has elected, or the Minister of National Revenue has designated it, to be a public corporation and the corporation has complied with prescribed conditions under Regulation 4800(1) on the number of its shareholders, the dispersing of the ownership of its shares, the public trading of its shares, and the size of the corporation.

If a public corporation has complied with certain prescribed conditions under Regulation 4800(2), it can elect, or the Minister of National Revenue can designate it, not to be a public corporation. Other types of Canadian resident corporations include Canadian subsidiaries of public corporations (which do not qualify as public corporations), general insurers and Crown corporations.

Provincial/territorial corporate income taxes edit

Corporate income taxes are collected by the CRA for all provinces and territories except Quebec and Alberta. Provinces and territories subject to a tax collection agreement must use the federal definition of "taxable income", i.e., they are not allowed to provide deductions in calculating taxable income. These provinces and territories may provide tax credits to companies, often in order to provide incentives for certain activities such as mining exploration, film production, and job creation.

Quebec and Alberta collect their own corporate income taxes, and therefore may develop their own definitions of taxable income. In practice, these provinces rarely deviate from the federal tax base in order to maintain simplicity for taxpayers.

Ontario negotiated a tax collection agreement with the federal government under which its corporate income taxes would be collected on its behalf by the CRA starting in 2009.

Integration of corporate and personal income taxes edit

In Canada, corporate income is subject to corporate income tax and, on distribution as dividends to individuals, personal income tax. To avoid this "double taxation" of the same income, the personal income tax system, through the gross-up and dividend tax credit (DTC) mechanisms, provides recognition for corporate taxes, based notional federal-provincial corporate tax rates, to taxable individuals resident in Canada who receive dividends from Canadian corporations.

A dividend from a small business ("Canadian-controlled private corporation") is grossed-up by 17 per cent, meaning that the shareholder includes 117 per cent of the dividend amount in income, to reflect the pre-tax income of the small business out of which it has paid the dividend. This income is taxed at the shareholder's personal income tax rate, but a part of the tax is offset by a 10.5217% dividend tax credit (for 2017)[18] to reflect the federal tax paid at the corporate level. There are also provincial dividend tax credits at different rates in different provinces.

For dividends from other Canadian corporations, i.e., "eligible dividends", the gross-up is 38% and the dividend tax credit is 15.0198% (for 2017),[18] reflecting the higher corporate income tax rate paid by larger corporations. Provincial and territorial governments also provide dividend tax credits to reflect provincial/territorial corporate income tax.

International comparison (personal income tax) edit

Comparison of total taxes paid by a household earning the country's average wage (as of 2005), including personal income tax, employee and employer social security contributions, payroll taxes and cash benefits. It does NOT include local income tax levied by states and cities. (source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

Country Single
no children
Married
2 children
Country Single
no children
Married
2 children

Australia 28.3% 16.0% Korea 17.3% 15.2%
Austria 47.4% 35.5% Luxembourg 35.3% 12.2%
Belgium 55.4% 40.3% Mexico 18.2% 18.2%
Canada 31.6% 21.5% Netherlands 38.6% 29.1%
Czech Republic 43.8% 27.1% New Zealand 20.5% 14.5%
Denmark 41.4% 29.6% Norway 37.3% 29.6%
Finland 44.6% 38.4% Poland 43.6% 42.1%
France 50.1% 41.7% Portugal 36.2% 26.6%
Germany 51.8% 35.7% Slovakia 38.3% 23.2%
Greece 38.8% 39.2% Spain 39.0% 33.4%
Hungary 50.5% 39.9% Sweden 47.9% 42.4%
Iceland 29.0% 11.0% Switzerland 29.5% 18.6%
Ireland 25.7% 8.1% Turkey 42.7% 42.7%
Isle of Man 10% 10% United Kingdom 33.5% 27.1%
Italy 45.4% 35.2% United States 29.1% 11.9%
Japan 27.7% 24.9%

Source: OECD, 2005 data

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Quebec changed its rules in 2004 and, legally, this may be taxed or may not – Courts have yet to rule.

References edit

  1. ^ Fiscal Reference Tables October 2018
  2. ^ "Income Tax Act". Justice Laws.
  3. ^ Duhaime, Lloyd (2017). "Canadian Legal History: 1917, Birth of Income Tax 1917, Birth of Income Tax". Lloyd Duhaime, Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney and Lawyer (and Notary Public!). Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  4. ^ Forbes v. A.-G. Man. [1937] A.C. 260,268
  5. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-11-29. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  6. ^ Canada Revenue Agency
  7. ^ "Canadian income tax rates for individuals - current and previous years". www.canada.ca. 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  8. ^ Agency, Canada Revenue (2016-12-16). "Payroll Deductions Tables - CPP, EI, and income tax deductions - Ontario". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  9. ^ "Income Tax Act" (PDF). Government of Prince Edward Island. Legislative Council Office. January 1, 2021. p. 29. (PDF) from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  10. ^ "Income Tax Rates". Revenu Québec. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  11. ^ Finance Canada Quebec Abatement
  12. ^ "Previous-years' income tax rates in Canada". Canada Revenue Agency.
  13. ^ . Canada Revenue Agency. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  14. ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  15. ^ "Canada Tax Brackets 2024". NewsFrom360.in. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  16. ^ 2018 Federal Personal Income Tax Rates
  17. ^ "Corporate Tax Rates," Canada Revenue Agency, 15 March 2013, accessed 14 July 2013.
  18. ^ a b . Archived from the original on 2017-05-15. Retrieved 2017-05-09.

External links edit

  • Income Tax Act
  • The Canadian Tax Foundation
  • The Department of Finance, Canada - responsible for Canadian tax policy
  • Canada Revenue Agency - collects income other certain other taxes for the federal, provincial and territorial governments (except Quebec)

income, canada, income, taxes, canada, constitute, majority, annual, revenues, government, canada, governments, provinces, canada, fiscal, year, ending, march, 2018, federal, government, collected, just, over, three, times, more, revenue, from, personal, incom. Income taxes in Canada constitute the majority of the annual revenues of the Government of Canada and of the governments of the Provinces of Canada In the fiscal year ending March 31 2018 the federal government collected just over three times more revenue from personal income taxes than it did from corporate income taxes 1 Tax collection agreements enable different governments to levy taxes through a single administration and collection agency The federal government collects personal income taxes on behalf of all provinces and territories It also collects corporate income taxes on behalf of all provinces and territories except Alberta Canada s federal income tax system is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency CRA Canadian federal income taxes both personal and corporate income taxes are levied under the provisions of the Income Tax Act 2 Provincial and territorial income taxes are levied under various provincial statutes The Canadian income tax system is a self assessment regime Taxpayers assess their tax liability by filing a return with the CRA by the required filing deadline CRA will then assess the return based on the return filed and on information it has obtained from employers and financial companies correcting it for obvious errors A taxpayer who disagrees with the CRA s assessment of a particular return may appeal the assessment The appeal process starts when a taxpayer formally objects to the CRA assessment on prescribed form T400A The objection must explain in writing the reasons for the appeal along with all the related facts The objection is then reviewed by the appeals branch of the CRA An appealed assessment may either be confirmed vacated or varied by the CRA If the assessment is confirmed or varied the taxpayer may appeal the decision to the Tax Court of Canada and then to the Federal Court of Appeal Contents 1 History 2 Constitutional authority 3 Personal income taxes 3 1 Basic calculation 3 2 Provincial and territorial personal income taxes 3 2 1 Quebec 3 3 Federal marginal tax rates 3 4 Income not taxed 4 Corporate income taxes 4 1 Corporation types 4 2 Provincial territorial corporate income taxes 5 Integration of corporate and personal income taxes 6 International comparison personal income tax 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksHistory editUnlike the United Kingdom and the United States Canada had avoided charging an income tax prior to the First World War The lack of income tax was seen as a key component in Canada s efforts to attract immigrants as Canada offered a lower tax regime compared to almost every other country Prior to the war Canadian federal governments relied on tariffs and customs income under the auspices of the National Policy for most of their revenue and the provincial governments sustained themselves primarily through their management of natural resources the Prairie Provinces were paid subsidies by the federal government as Ottawa retained control of their natural resources The Liberal Party considered the probable need to introduce an income tax if their negotiation of a free trade agreement with the United States in the early 20th century succeeded but the Conservatives defeated the Liberals in 1911 by opposing free trade The Conservative Party opposed income tax as it wanted to attract immigrants primarily from the United Kingdom and the United States and it wanted to give immigrants an incentive to come to Canada Then Canadian Finance Minister Sir Thomas White s new Income War Tax Act bill went into Committee of the Whole on July 25 1917 but faced resistance 3 Wartime expenses forced the Tories to re consider their options and in 1918 the wartime government under Sir Robert Borden imposed an income tax to cover expenses Despite the new tax the Canadian government ran up considerable debts during the war and was unable to forgo income tax revenue after the war ended With the election of the Liberal government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King much of the National Policy was dismantled and income tax has remained in place ever since Constitutional authority editThe constitutional authority for the federal income tax is found in Section 91 Paragraph 3 of the Constitution Act 1867 which assigns to the federal Parliament power over the raising of Money by any Mode or System of Taxation The constitutional authority for the various provincial income taxes is found in section 92 paragraph 2 of the Constitution Act 1867 which assigns to the legislature of each province the power of Direct Taxation within the Province in order to the raising of a Revenue for Provincial Purposes The courts have held that an income tax is the most typical form of direct taxation 4 Personal income taxes editCanada levies personal income tax on the worldwide income of individual residents in Canada and on certain types of Canadian source income earned by non resident individuals The Income Tax Act Part I subparagraph 2 1 states An income tax shall be paid as required by this Act on the taxable income for each taxation year of every person resident in Canada at any time in the year After the calendar year Canadian residents file a T1 Tax and Benefit Return 5 for individuals It is due April 30 or June 15 for self employed individuals and their spouses or common law partners It is important to note however that any balance owing is due on or before April 30 Outstanding balances remitted after April 30 may be subject to interest charges regardless of whether the taxpayer s filing due date is April 30 or June 15 The amount of income tax that an individual must pay is based on the amount of their taxable income income earned less allowed expenses for the tax year Personal income tax may be collected through various means deduction at source where income tax is deducted directly from an individual s pay and sent to the CRA instalment payments where an individual must pay his or her estimated taxes during the year instead of waiting to settle up at the end of the year payment on filing payments made with the income tax return arrears payments payments made after the return is filedEmployers may also deduct Canada Pension Plan Quebec Pension Plan CPP QPP contributions Employment Insurance EI and Provincial Parental Insurance PPIP premiums from their employees gross pay Employers then send these deductions to the taxing authority Individuals who have overpaid taxes or had excess tax deducted at source will receive a refund from the CRA upon filing their annual tax return Generally personal income tax returns for a particular year must be filed with CRA on or before April 30 of the following year Basic calculation edit An individual taxpayer must report his or her total income for the year Certain deductions are allowed in determining net income such as deductions for contributions to Registered Retirement Savings Plans union and professional dues child care expenses and business investment losses Net income is used for determining several income tested social benefits provided by the federal and provincial territorial governments Further deductions are allowed in determining taxable income such as capital losses half of capital gains included in income and a special deduction for residents of northern Canada Deductions permit certain amounts to be excluded from taxation altogether Tax payable before credits is determined using five tax brackets and tax rates Non refundable tax credits are then deducted from tax payable before credits for various items such as a basic personal amount dependents Canada Quebec Pension Plan contributions Employment Insurance premiums disabilities tuition and education and medical expenses These credits are calculated by multiplying the credit amount e g the basic personal amount of 11 038 in 2013 by the lowest tax rate This mechanism is designed to provide equal benefit to taxpayers regardless of the rate at which they pay tax A non refundable tax credit for charitable donations is calculated at the lowest tax rate for the first 200 in a year and at the highest tax rate for the portion in excess of 200 Donations can result in a reduction in taxes of between 40 and 60 of the donation depending on the province of the taxpayer and type of property donated This tax credit is designed to encourage more generous charitable giving Certain other tax credits are provided to recognize tax already paid so that the income is not taxed twice the dividend tax credit provides recognition of tax paid at the corporate level on income distributed from a Canadian corporation to individual shareholders and the foreign tax credit recognizes tax paid to a foreign government on income earned in a foreign country Provincial and territorial personal income taxes edit Provinces and territories that have entered into tax collection agreements with the federal government for collection of personal income taxes agreeing provinces i e all provinces and territories except Quebec must use the federal definition of taxable income as the basis for their taxation This means that they are not allowed to provide or ignore federal deductions in calculating the income on which provincial tax is based Provincial and territorial governments provide both non refundable tax credits and refundable tax credits to taxpayers for certain expenses They may also apply surtaxes and offer low income tax reductions Canada Revenue Agency collects personal income taxes for agreeing provinces territories and remits the revenues to the respective governments The provincial territorial tax forms are distributed with the federal tax forms and the taxpayer need make only one payment to CRA for both types of tax Similarly if a taxpayer is to receive a refund he or she receives one cheque or bank transfer for the combined federal and provincial territorial tax refund Information on provincial rates can be found on the Canada Revenue Agency s website 6 Individuals in Canada generally pay income taxes on employment and investment income to the province in which they reside on December 31 of the tax year This ensures that taxpayers who live in one province and work in another or who move from one province to another in most cases only have to file a tax return for one province Individuals with business income have to pay tax on the business income to the province in which it was earned If it was earned in more than one province it is allocated based on a formula in the Income Tax Regulations In addition to the income tax levied as a percentage of taxable income two provinces Prince Edward Island and Ontario levy surtaxes as a percentage of tax over a certain threshold 2021 Provincial Personal Income Tax Rates 7 Province Territory Tax brackets income categories and tax rates Surtax of tax Alberta 0 131 220 131 220 157 464 157 464 209 952 209 952 314 928 over 314 92810 12 13 14 15 BritishColumbia 0 42 184 42 184 84 369 84 369 96 866 96 866 117 623 117 623 159 483 159 483 222 420 over 222 4205 06 7 7 10 5 12 29 14 7 16 8 20 5 Manitoba 0 33 723 32 723 72 885 over 72 88510 8 12 75 17 4 New Brunswick 0 43 835 43 835 87 671 87 671 142 534 142 534 162 383 over 162 3839 68 14 82 16 52 17 84 20 3 Newfoundlandand Labrador 0 38 081 38 081 76 161 76 161 135 973 135 973 190 363 over 190 3638 7 14 5 15 8 17 3 18 3 NorthwestTerritories 0 44 396 44 396 88 796 88 796 144 362 over 144 3625 9 8 6 12 2 14 05 Nova Scotia 0 29 590 29 590 59 180 59 180 93 000 93 000 150 000 over 150 0008 79 14 95 16 67 17 5 21 Nunavut 0 46 740 46 740 93 480 93 480 151 978 over 151 9784 7 9 11 5 Ontario 8 0 45 142 45 142 90 287 90 287 150 000 150 000 220 000 over 220 000 4874 6237 over 62375 05 9 15 11 16 12 16 13 16 20 56 Prince EdwardIsland 9 0 31 984 31 984 63 969 over 63 969 over 12 5009 8 13 8 16 7 10 Quebec 10 0 45 105 45 105 90 200 90 200 109 755 over 109 75515 20 24 25 75 Saskatchewan 0 45 677 45 677 130 506 over 130 50610 5 12 5 14 5 Yukon 0 49 020 49 020 98 040 98 040 151 978 151 978 500 000 over 500 0006 4 9 10 9 12 8 15 Quebec edit Quebec administers its own personal income tax system and therefore is free to determine its own definition of taxable income To maintain simplicity for taxpayers however Quebec parallels many aspects of and uses many definitions found in the federal tax system Quebec chooses to receive part of its health and social transfers in tax points instead of cash To compensate for this federal personal income taxes on income earned in Quebec are reduced by 16 5 of federal tax This is referred to as the Quebec Abatement 11 Federal marginal tax rates edit The following historical personal federal marginal tax rates of the Government of Canada come from the website of the Canada Revenue Agency They do not include applicable provincial income taxes Data on marginal tax rates from 1998 to 2018 are publicly available 12 Data on basic personal amounts personal exemption taxed at 0 can be found on a year by year basis is also available 13 Their values are contained on line 300 of either the document Schedule 1 Federal Tax or General Income Tax and Benefit Guide of each year by year General Income Tax and Benefit Package listed The personal exemption is listed as it always applies Additional deductions may be applied depending on eligibility see 14 The most common additional deductions are Canada Pension Plan CPP Employment Insurance EI and employment credit Exempt amounts are calculated multiplied by the lowest tax rate and the result is tax credits that reduce the total amount of tax owed Year Personal Amount Canadian Federal Marginal Tax Rates of Taxable Income2024 15 15 000 0 53 359 53 359 106 717 106 717 165 430 165 430 235 675 over 235 6750 15 20 5 26 29 33 2021 13 808 0 49 020 49 020 98 040 98 040 151 978 151 978 216 511 over 216 5110 15 20 5 26 29 33 2020 13 229 0 48 535 48 535 97 069 97 069 150 473 150 473 214 368 over 214 3680 15 20 5 26 29 33 2019 12 069 0 47 630 47 630 95 259 95 259 147 667 147 667 210 371 over 210 3710 15 20 5 26 29 33 2018 16 11 809 0 46 605 46 605 93 208 93 208 144 489 144 489 205 842 over 205 8420 15 20 5 26 29 33 2017 11 635 0 45 916 45 916 91 831 91 831 142 353 142 353 202 800 over 202 8000 15 20 5 26 29 33 2016 11 474 0 45 282 45 282 90 563 90 563 140 388 140 388 200 000 over 200 0000 15 20 5 26 29 33 2015 11 327 0 44 701 44 701 89 401 89 401 138 586 over 138 5860 15 22 26 29 2014 11 138 0 43 953 43 954 87 907 87 908 136 270 over 136 2700 15 22 26 29 2013 11 038 0 43 561 43 562 87 123 87 124 135 054 over 135 0550 15 22 26 29 2012 10 822 0 42 706 42 707 85 413 85 414 132 405 over 132 4060 15 22 26 29 2011 10 527 0 41 544 41 544 83 088 83 088 128 800 over 128 8000 15 22 26 29 2010 10 382 0 40 970 40 971 81 941 81 942 127 021 over 127 0210 15 22 26 29 2009 10 320 0 40 726 40 727 81 452 81 453 126 264 over 126 2640 15 22 26 29 2008 9 600 0 37 885 37 886 75 769 75 770 123 184 over 123 1840 15 22 26 29 2007 9 600 0 37 178 37 178 74 357 74 357 120 887 over 120 8870 15 22 26 29 2006 8 839 0 36 378 36 378 72 756 72 756 118 285 over 118 2850 15 25 22 26 29 2005 8 648 0 35 595 35 595 71 190 71 190 115 739 over 115 7390 15 22 26 29 2004 8 012 0 35 000 35 000 70 000 70 000 113 804 over 113 8040 16 22 26 29 2003 7 756 0 32 183 32 183 64 368 64 368 104 648 over 104 6480 16 22 26 29 2002 7 634 0 31 677 31 677 63 354 63 354 103 000 over 103 0000 16 22 26 29 2001 7 412 0 30 754 30 754 61 509 61 509 100 000 over 100 0000 16 22 26 29 2000 7 231 0 30 004 30 004 60 009 over 60 0090 17 25 29 1999 6 794 0 29 590 29 590 59 180 over 59 1800 17 26 29 1998 6 456 0 29 590 29 590 59 180 over 59 1800 17 26 29 The rates above do not account for federal surtax nor surtax reduction prior to 2001 Income not taxed edit The following types of income are not taxed in Canada this list is not exhaustive gifts and inheritances death benefits paid from a life insurance policy lottery winnings winnings from betting or gambling for simple recreation or enjoyment strike pay income earned within a Tax Free Savings Account compensation paid by a province or territory to a victim of a criminal act or a motor vehicle accident Note 1 certain civil and military service pensions income from certain international organizations of which Canada is a member such as the United Nations and its agencies war disability pensions RCMP pensions or compensation paid in respect of injury disability or death Note 1 income of First Nations if situated on a reserve capital gain on the sale of a taxpayer s principal residence provincial child tax credits or benefits and Quebec family allowances Working income tax benefit the Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized Sales Tax credit GST HST credit Quebec Sales Tax credit or Saskatchewan Sales Tax Credit the Canada Child Tax Benefit Note that the method by which these forms of income are not taxed can vary significantly which may have tax and other implications some forms of income are not declared while others are declared and then immediately deducted in full Some of the tax exemptions are based on statutory enactments others like the non taxability of lottery winnings are based on the non statutory common law concept of income In certain cases the deduction may require off setting income while in other cases the deduction may be used without corresponding income Income which is declared and then deducted for example may create room for future Registered Retirement Savings Plan RRSP deductions But then the RRSP contribution room may be reduced with a pension adjustment if you are part of another plan reducing the ability to use RRSP contributions as a deduction Deductions which are not directly linked to non taxable income exist which reduce overall taxable income A key example is RRSP contributions which is a form of tax deferred savings account income tax is paid only at withdrawal and no interim tax is payable on account earnings Corporate income taxes editCorporate taxes include taxes on corporate income in Canada and other taxes and levies paid by corporations to the various levels of government in Canada These include capital and insurance premium taxes payroll levies e g employment insurance Canada Pension Plan Quebec Pension Plan and Workers Compensation property taxes and indirect taxes such as goods and services tax GST and sales and excise taxes levied on business inputs Corporations are subject to tax in Canada on their worldwide income if they are resident in Canada for Canadian tax purposes Corporations not resident in Canada are subject to Canadian tax on certain types of Canadian source income Section 115 of the Canadian Income Tax Act Effective January 1 2012 the net federal corporate income tax rate in Canada was 15 or 11 for corporations able to claim the small business deduction in addition corporations are subject to provincial income tax that may range from zero to 16 depending on the province and the size of the business 17 Corporation types edit The taxes payable by a Canadian resident corporation depend on the type of corporation that it is A Canadian controlled private corporation which is defined as a corporation that is resident in Canada and either incorporated in Canada or resident in Canada from June 18 1971 to the end of the taxation year not controlled directly or indirectly by one or more non resident persons not controlled directly or indirectly by one or more public corporations other than a prescribed venture capital corporation as defined in Regulation 6700 not controlled by a Canadian resident corporation that lists its shares on a prescribed stock exchange outside of Canada not controlled directly or indirectly by any combination of persons described in the three preceding conditions if all of its shares that are owned by a non resident person by a public corporation other than a prescribed venture capital corporation or by a corporation with a class of shares listed on a prescribed stock exchange were owned by one person that person would not own sufficient shares to control the corporation and no class of its shares of capital stock is listed on a prescribed stock exchange A private corporation which is defined as a corporation that is resident in Canada not a public corporation not controlled by one or more public corporations other than a prescribed venture capital corporation as defined in Regulation 6700 not controlled by one or more prescribed federal Crown corporations as defined in Regulation 7100 and not controlled by any combination of corporations described in the two preceding conditions A public corporation defined as a corporation that is resident in Canada and meets either of the following requirements at the end of the taxation year it has a class of shares listed on a prescribed Canadian stock exchange or it has elected or the Minister of National Revenue has designated it to be a public corporation and the corporation has complied with prescribed conditions under Regulation 4800 1 on the number of its shareholders the dispersing of the ownership of its shares the public trading of its shares and the size of the corporation If a public corporation has complied with certain prescribed conditions under Regulation 4800 2 it can elect or the Minister of National Revenue can designate it not to be a public corporation Other types of Canadian resident corporations include Canadian subsidiaries of public corporations which do not qualify as public corporations general insurers and Crown corporations Provincial territorial corporate income taxes edit Corporate income taxes are collected by the CRA for all provinces and territories except Quebec and Alberta Provinces and territories subject to a tax collection agreement must use the federal definition of taxable income i e they are not allowed to provide deductions in calculating taxable income These provinces and territories may provide tax credits to companies often in order to provide incentives for certain activities such as mining exploration film production and job creation Quebec and Alberta collect their own corporate income taxes and therefore may develop their own definitions of taxable income In practice these provinces rarely deviate from the federal tax base in order to maintain simplicity for taxpayers Ontario negotiated a tax collection agreement with the federal government under which its corporate income taxes would be collected on its behalf by the CRA starting in 2009 Integration of corporate and personal income taxes editIn Canada corporate income is subject to corporate income tax and on distribution as dividends to individuals personal income tax To avoid this double taxation of the same income the personal income tax system through the gross up and dividend tax credit DTC mechanisms provides recognition for corporate taxes based notional federal provincial corporate tax rates to taxable individuals resident in Canada who receive dividends from Canadian corporations A dividend from a small business Canadian controlled private corporation is grossed up by 17 per cent meaning that the shareholder includes 117 per cent of the dividend amount in income to reflect the pre tax income of the small business out of which it has paid the dividend This income is taxed at the shareholder s personal income tax rate but a part of the tax is offset by a 10 5217 dividend tax credit for 2017 18 to reflect the federal tax paid at the corporate level There are also provincial dividend tax credits at different rates in different provinces For dividends from other Canadian corporations i e eligible dividends the gross up is 38 and the dividend tax credit is 15 0198 for 2017 18 reflecting the higher corporate income tax rate paid by larger corporations Provincial and territorial governments also provide dividend tax credits to reflect provincial territorial corporate income tax International comparison personal income tax editComparison of total taxes paid by a household earning the country s average wage as of 2005 including personal income tax employee and employer social security contributions payroll taxes and cash benefits It does NOT include local income tax levied by states and cities source Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development Country Singleno children Married 2 children Country Singleno children Married 2 childrenAustralia 28 3 16 0 Korea 17 3 15 2 Austria 47 4 35 5 Luxembourg 35 3 12 2 Belgium 55 4 40 3 Mexico 18 2 18 2 Canada 31 6 21 5 Netherlands 38 6 29 1 Czech Republic 43 8 27 1 New Zealand 20 5 14 5 Denmark 41 4 29 6 Norway 37 3 29 6 Finland 44 6 38 4 Poland 43 6 42 1 France 50 1 41 7 Portugal 36 2 26 6 Germany 51 8 35 7 Slovakia 38 3 23 2 Greece 38 8 39 2 Spain 39 0 33 4 Hungary 50 5 39 9 Sweden 47 9 42 4 Iceland 29 0 11 0 Switzerland 29 5 18 6 Ireland 25 7 8 1 Turkey 42 7 42 7 Isle of Man 10 10 United Kingdom 33 5 27 1 Italy 45 4 35 2 United States 29 1 11 9 Japan 27 7 24 9 Source OECD 2005 data 1 See also edit nbsp Canada portalTaxation in Canada Canadian federal budget Harmonized sales taxNotes edit a b Quebec changed its rules in 2004 and legally this may be taxed or may not Courts have yet to rule References edit Fiscal Reference Tables October 2018 Income Tax Act Justice Laws Duhaime Lloyd 2017 Canadian Legal History 1917 Birth of Income Tax 1917 Birth of Income Tax Lloyd Duhaime Barrister Solicitor Attorney and Lawyer and Notary Public Retrieved July 25 2017 Forbes v A G Man 1937 A C 260 268 T1 Tax and Benefit Return PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2007 11 29 Retrieved 2007 11 07 Canada Revenue Agency Canadian income tax rates for individuals current and previous years www canada ca 2020 12 30 Retrieved 2021 11 16 Agency Canada Revenue 2016 12 16 Payroll Deductions Tables CPP EI and income tax deductions Ontario www canada ca Retrieved 2021 11 16 Income Tax Act PDF Government of Prince Edward Island Legislative Council Office January 1 2021 p 29 Archived PDF from the original on November 16 2021 Retrieved November 15 2021 Income Tax Rates Revenu Quebec Retrieved 2021 11 16 Finance Canada Quebec Abatement Previous years income tax rates in Canada Canada Revenue Agency Tax packages Canada Revenue Agency Archived from the original on 2011 06 04 Retrieved 2009 02 08 Latest TD1 Form Archived from the original on 2013 12 19 Retrieved 2014 02 03 Canada Tax Brackets 2024 NewsFrom360 in 3 January 2024 Retrieved 4 January 2024 2018 Federal Personal Income Tax Rates Corporate Tax Rates Canada Revenue Agency 15 March 2013 accessed 14 July 2013 a b Canada Revenue Agency Archived from the original on 2017 05 15 Retrieved 2017 05 09 External links editIncome Tax Act The Canadian Tax Foundation The Department of Finance Canada responsible for Canadian tax policy Canada Revenue Agency collects income other certain other taxes for the federal provincial and territorial governments except Quebec Revenu Quebec Income tax rates Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Income tax in Canada amp 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