The Budget contains a number of spending initiatives relevant to the voluntary sector. Some of the more interesting include the following. Innovation The Budget puts significant emphasis on innovation as an economic engine. One important area of innovation in the...
Absent from the Budget is any proposal to alter the current regime that exempts non-profit organizations that are not charities, from tax on their income. Organizations that do not otherwise qualify as charitable but are otherwise organized for social welfare,...
The Budget indicates that the Federal Government will cease distributing new pennies, given that each penny costs 1.6 cents to produce. While existing pennies will continue to have value indefinitely, the Budget suggests that the Federal Government will work with...
The Budget proposes new rules impacting the ability of charities to engage in political activities and requiring new disclosure rules on political activities. Current rules re political activities Charities in Canada advocate regularly on many issues of public policy. Much...
The Budget also proposes changes to the process by which foreign organizations that have received a grant from the Federal Government will be considered qualified donees under the Income Tax Act. Current rules Generally, non-Canadian organizations are not qualified donees...
The Budget proposes a new incentive to encourage the promotion of literacy by registered charities and certain non-profit organizations. Current rules The Excise Tax Act currently provides for a rebate of the GST (and the federal portion of the HST)...
The Budget proposes various new rules and penalties related to tax shelters generally, as well as some changes specific to charitable donation tax shelters. Current rules The Income Tax Act requires that all tax shelters be registered and obtain a...
Unfortunately for the sector, the Budget does not include any new measures to increase incentives for charitable giving notwithstanding that the 2011 Federal Budget confirmed that the Standing Committee on Finance study how current incentives for charitable giving might be...