The Canadian Commodity Tax Committee is responsible for TEI’s advocacy and educational efforts in Canadian federal and provincial excise, sales, and use tax matters.
The committee provides comments on legislative and administrative proposals and conducts annual liaison meetings with the Canada Revenue Agency and Canadian Department of Finance to discuss tax-enforcement and policy matters in the commodity tax field.
TEI Holds Liaison Meeting with British Columbia Ministry of Finance
On November 15, 2011, Tax Executives Institute submitted a letter to the British Columbia Ministry of Finance containing a number of improvements to make the Provincial Sales Tax ("PST") more efficient and administrable. As a follow up to that letter, three members of TEI's Canadian Commodity Tax Committee met with officials from the Ministry on December 12, 2011 to further discuss the Institute's proposals.
TEI Supports Harmonized Sales Tax in British Columbia
On April 29, 2011, TEI submitted a letter opposing a referendum to rescind British Columbia's Harmonized Sales Tax and restore the Provincial Sales Tax. TEI's letter summarizes the Institute's general support for the HST and the implications if it were to be repealed. The Institute's comments were prepared under the aegis of its Canadian Commodity Tax Committee, whose chair is Kim N. Berjian.
TEI Supports OECD VAT/GST Neutrality Guidelines
On March 30, 2011, TEI sent a letter to the OECD affirming direction of OECD's VAT/GST neutrality guidelines. TEI's comments were prepared by the Institute's European Indirect Tax Committee, whose chair is Jean-Daniel Rouvinez. Jeffery P. Rasmussen of the Institute's legal staff assisted with the comments.
TEI Urges Changes to Canada Regulation on Restricted Input Tax Credits
On March 7, 2011, TEI submitted a letter to Finance Canada and Canada Revenue Agency recommending amendments to the Harmonized Value-added Tax System regulations to make restricted input tax credit (RITC) reporting administrable. The letter follows up on TEI's December 2010 liaison meetings with Canada Revenue Agency and the Department of Finance, where TEI representatives raised the timing for reporting and applying the rules relating to RITCs. TEI maintains that reporting RITCs pursuant to the timeframes required in Harmonized Value-added Tax System Regulations, No.
TEI Holds 2010 Liaison Meetings with Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Department of Finance
On December 7-8, 2010, TEI held its annual liaison meetings with Canadian Department of Finance and Canada Revenue Agency.
Canada Revenue Agency
- TEI Liaison Agenda
- IncomeTax Meeting Minutes
- Excise Tax Meeting Minutes
- Written Responses
Department of Finance
TEI Supports the Harmonization of Canada's Provincial Sales Tax
On March 25, 2010, TEI filed a letter urging the Canada Department of Finance to permit sufficient time for companies to implement the new harmonized sales tax regime. TEI's letter follows amendments proposed by the Department of Finance on February 25, 2010. The amendment relates to the harmonized sales tax (HST), including place of supply, self-assessment and rebate, and the imported taxable supply rules relating to the provincial component of the HST in regulations under the Excise Tax Act.
TEI Holds 2009 Liaison Meetings with Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Department of Finance
On December 8-9, 2009, TEI held its annual liaison meetings on income and excise tax issues with the Canadian Department of Finance and Canada Revenue Agency. Below are the agendas for the meetings and the responses from the Canadian government.
Income Tax Issues
TEI Comments on Application of Canada's GST to Pension Plans and the Financial Services Sector
On November 10, 2009, TEI filed comments in response to the Canada Department of Finance's release of draft legislation, explanatory notes, and a backgrounder concerning several measures aimed at improving and streamlining the application of the goods and services tax (GST) to pension plans and the financial services sector.
TEI Supports Enactment of a Harmonized Sales Tax in Ontario
On September 16, 2009, TEI submitted a letter to members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario relating to the adoption of a harmonized sales tax in the Province of Ontario.
TEI Files Supplemental Comments on Implementation of Ontario's Harmonized Sales Tax
On September 8, 2009, TEI filed supplemental comments on issues relating to the implementation of a harmonized sales tax in the Province of Ontario. This letter supplements TEI's August 24, 2009 comments on implementation issues relating to the adoption of a harmonized Ontario value-added tax, addressing issues relating to financial institutions, residential care facilities, and tax-included pricing. A meeting with Ontario's Ministry of Finance is scheduled for October 16, 2009.