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Print this pageForward this document  Tax changes in DT Max (2014)

The following is a summary of the various new tax measures that required modifications in DT Max and that relate to tax year 2014. Some new tax measures do not require any modifications in DT Max.) Most of these new tax measures were introduced in the 2014 budgets. (Some of them were introduced in prior budgets, in press releases or in information bulletins.) Also, please note that, unless otherwise provided, these proposed new tax measures should come into force by the time the 2014 returns are produced. Finally, please note that we have also included changes that, while not representing new tax measures, are changes of an administrative nature that required modifications in DT Max.

Federal
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut

Federal

  • New Tax Measures:

  • As announced in the 2013 federal budget, the government has reduced the gross-up factor applicable to non-eligible dividends from 25 per cent to 18 per cent and the corresponding dividend tax credit from 13,33 per cent to 11,0169 per cent, applicable to non-eligible dividends paid after 2013.

  • For the Overseas Employment Tax Credit (OETC), the factor applied to an employee's qualifying foreign employment income in determining the employee's OETC, which is currently 60%, will be reduced to 40% for 2014.

  • The budget proposes to increase the maximum amount of eligible expenses for the Adoption Expense Tax Credit to $15,000 per child for 2014 and to index that amount according to inflation for later tax years.

  • To highlight the important role played by volunteers participating in search and rescue activities to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, Budget 2014 proposes a Search and Rescue Volunteers Tax Credit. Eligible volunteers participating in land, air and sea search and rescue activities may request a non-refundable 15% tax credit on an amount of $3,000. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • Currently, an individual is eligible for an exemption of up to $1,000 related to a payment from a government, a municipality, or another public authority for performing the duties of an emergency services volunteer. For 2014 and subsequent years, an individual who claims the volunteer firefighter tax credit or the search and rescue volunteer tax credit will not be eligible for the exemption. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • As proposed in Budget 2013, an individual taxpayer will no longer be allowed to claim a deduction for the expenses incurred in respect of the use of a safety deposit box of a financial institution. Therefore, the Deduction for Safety Deposit Boxes will no longer be in effect for 2014 and later years.

  • To eliminate the need for an individual to apply for the GST/HST Credit and to allow the Canada Revenue Agency to automatically determine if an individual is eligible to receive the GST/HST Credit. A notice of determination will be sent to each individual who is eligible for the GST/HST Credit. In the case of eligible couples, the GST/HST Credit will be paid to the spouse or common-law partner whose tax return is assessed first. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • Announced by the federal government on October 30, 2014, and relevant for tax year 2014, the Family Tax Cut is a new federal tax credit that will allow a spouse to, in effect, transfer up to $50,000 of taxable income to a spouse whose income is in a lower tax bracket. The credit will provide tax relief - capped at $2,000 - for couples with children under the age of 18, starting in the 2014 taxation year.

  • The Government announced its intention to double the Children's Fitness Tax Credit and make it refundable. The maximum amount of expenses that may be claimed under the credit will be doubled from its current limit to $1,000 for the 2014 tax year and subsequent tax years, and the credit will be made refundable effective for the 2015 and subsequent tax years.

Newfoundland and Labrador

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Dividend Tax Credit has changed. The NL government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 5% to 4.1% and the rate for the tax credit on eligible dividends from 11% to 5.4%. These rates will be in effect for the dividends received after July 1st, 2014. The NL dividend tax credit workchart has been updated accordingly in DT Max.

  • The Venture Capital Tax Credit is a new non-refundable tax credit. Effective for 2014 and subsequent tax years, the tax credit is 30% of the qualifying investment. Lifetime maximum is $75,000. Unused credit can be carried back three years and carried forward seven years. (not implemented in the planner version)

Prince Edward Island

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Prince Edward Island (PEI) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The PEI government has increased the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 2.9% to 3.2%.

Nova Scotia

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Nova Scotia (NS) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The NS government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 7.7% to 5.873%.

New Brunswick

  • New Tax Measures:

  • None

Quebec

  • New Tax Measures:

  • The Quebec provincial budget has planned a reduction of the rate for the ordinary dividend tax credit from 8% to 7.05%.

  • Introduction of a refundable tax credit for seniors' activities

    The budget proposes a new refundable 20% tax credit for the eligible expenses paid in the year, up to a maximum amount of $200, for individuals other than excluded individuals, who are 70 years of age at the end of December 31 of the year or on the date of his or her death.

    An excluded individual for a particular taxation year will be an individual:

    - whose income for the year exceeds $40,000 (indexed each year); or

    - who is exempt from tax.

    An expense includes any amount paid by the individual in the year regarding the cost of the individual's registration or membership in a recognized program of activities. To that end, this will include the cost of the program with respect to the program's administration, instruction, rental of required facilities, as well as uniforms and equipment. However, the cost must not include the cost of accommodation, travel, food or beverages. Consequently, in order for the aforementioned refundable credit to apply, the recognized programs of activities must meet certain conditions that are stated in the budget.

    This measure will apply to the amounts paid as of June 5, 2014, for a program that will start on this date or after. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • Amendment to ensure the fairness of the mechanism for splitting retirement income between spouses

    Since 2007, the tax system has included an income splitting mechanism that enables couples receiving certain retirement income to reduce their overall tax burden.

    The tax legislation will be amended to allow the income splitting mechanism to be applicable only for the person that reached 65 before the end of this person's tax year. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • Tax credit for the acquisition of shares of Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins

    The maximum amount an individual may deduct in calculating his tax otherwise payable for a given taxation year, for shares acquired during a capital-raising period beginning in such year, will decline from $2,500 to $2,250.

  • For 2014, the QPP contribution rate has increased from 10.20% à 10.35%. This rate corresponds to a contribution rate of 5.175% for the employee and 5.175% for the employer.

  • Harmonization with certain measures of the federal budget of February 11, 2014

    Quebec's tax legislation and regulations will be amended in order to implement a measure in respect to the introduction of a tax credit for volunteers participating in search and rescue activities, it being understood that the tax credit conversion rate will be equal to the rate applicable to the first taxable income bracket of the personal income tax table. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • Introduction of the LogiRénov tax credit for home renovation

    An individual residing in Quebec at the end of December 31, 2014, may be entitled to a refundable tax credit for carrying out recognized home renovation work regarding a given eligible dwelling which he or she owns, of an amount that corresponds to 20% of the portion of an individual's eligible expenses for the year that exceeds $3,000, up to a maximum tax credit of $2,500 per eligible dwelling. This credit is claimed on line 462 under code 27 when completing Form TP-1029.LR.

Ontario

  • New Tax Measures:

  • Ontario Personal Income Tax Rate Changes

    The government proposes to:

    - Lower the taxable income threshold for the 13.16% tax rate from $514,090 to $220,000

    - Add a new tax rate of 12.16% on taxable income between $150,000 and $220,000, and

    - Not adjust the new income thresholds for inflation each year.

  • To mitigate the impact of the federal changes announced in the 2013 federal budget and improve the fairness of the taxation of dividends, the Province proposed measures in the "2013 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review" that would change the dividend tax credit rates and the surtax calculation, starting in 2014. The government proposes to:

    - Apply the dividend tax credit after the surtax. (not implemented in the planner version)

    - Increase the eligible dividend tax credit rate from 6.4% to 10%.

    As a result of these changes, for 2014 and later years, the top marginal rate on non-eligible dividends is 40.13% and the rate on eligible dividends is 33.82%.

  • Community Food Program Donation Tax Credit for Farmers:

    The Local Food Act, 2013, which received Royal Assent on November 6, 2013, introduced a new non-refundable income tax credit for farmers who donate agricultural products to community food programs, including food banks. The credit is worth 25% of the fair market value of the agricultural products donated and can be claimed for donations made as from January 1, 2014. The government will bring forward regulations to implement the credit. (not implemented in the planner version)

Manitoba

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Manitoba (MB) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The MB government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 1.75% to 0.83%.

  • You can claim a non-refundable tax credit for eligible investments you made in Manitoba community enterprise development projects from January 1 to June 11, 2014. For eligible investments you made from June 12 to December 31, 2014, in Manitoba community enterprise development projects, you can claim a refundable tax credit. (not implemented in the planner version)

  • A new Manitoba employee share purchase tax credit has been introduced for tax year 2014.

Saskatchewan

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Saskatchewan (SK) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The SK government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 4% to 3.4%.

Alberta

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Alberta (AB) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The AB government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 3.5% to 3.1%.

British Columbia

  • New Tax Measures:

  • Personal income tax rates

    The budget does not include any changes to personal income tax rates or the temporary two-year increase in the personal income tax rate introduced in Budget 2013, applicable to individuals earning more than $150,000. In Budget 2013, the tax rate was increased from 14.7% to 16.8% for 2014 and 2015 only, before reverting back to 14.7% in 2016.

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the British Columbia (BC) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The BC government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 3.4% to 2.59%.

  • The BC mining flow-through share tax credit will be extended to the end of 2014.

Yukon

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Yukon (YK) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The YK government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 4.51% to 4.03%.

Northwest Territories

  • New Tax Measures:

  • None

Nunavut

  • New Tax Measures:

  • In order to align with the federal government, the rate for the Nunavut(NV) ordinary dividend tax credit has changed. The NV government has reduced the rate for the tax credit on ordinary dividends from 4% to 3.051%.

January 07, 2015