The fiscal cycle of the federal government follows a predictable annual path. Each spring, the Minister of Finance brings down a budget outlining the government’s revenues and expenditures and its surplus or deficit projections for the fiscal year (which runs from April 1 to March 31). That budget also includes the announcement of any changes to the tax system which the government wishes to implement.In the fall, the Minister of Finance announces the Economic and Fiscal Update which, as the name implies, provides an update of the government’s finances approximately halfway through the current fiscal year. Sometimes, as was the case this year, the Update includes announcements of additional tax changes.
The 2017-18 Economic and Fiscal Update brought down by the Minister of Finance on October 24, 2017 included a better than expected deficit picture for upcoming fiscal years. That improved fiscal picture allowed the Minister to announce a number of relieving tax measures. While the measures are few, they will affect a great number of corporations and individuals, whether through lower tax rates or increased taxpayer benefits. Those changes are as follows.
- Effective as of January 1, 2018, the small business tax rate will be reduced to 10%. A year later, on January 1, 2019, that rate will be reduced again, to 9%.
- Lower and middle income Canadian families are eligible to receive the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) — a non-taxable monthly benefit paid by the federal government. The amount of CCB received depends on the size of the family and the family’s net income. While there has been no change to benefit amounts, the Minister indicated that previously announced plans to provide annual cost-of-living changes to those benefits would be brought forward and implemented effective July 1, 2018. As of that date, the amount of benefits payable and the income thresholds which determine eligibility will both be indexed to inflation.
The full 2017-18 Economic and Fiscal Update can be found on the Finance Canada website.
