OTTAWA –
A brand new tax on yachts, luxurious automobiles and personal plane designed to hit the super-rich might additionally cowl autos meant to assist the atmosphere, a tax professional warns.
The posh items tax, which can come into pressure on Sept. 1, will cowl automobiles and SUVs, in addition to non-public planes and helicopters, price greater than $100,000.
The federal tax can even cowl yachts and boats — together with motorboats — price greater than $250,000.
However senior tax lawyer Héléna Gagné says the brand new tax might additionally hit some electrical and hybrid autos, together with Tesla and BMW fashions, which value greater than $100,000.
The federal authorities has been encouraging Canadians to spend money on clear expertise and zero-emission autos, which may carry the next price ticket than automobiles that run on fossil fuels.
Gagné mentioned the thresholds for the tax might additionally have an effect on individuals who wouldn’t be thought to be rich, however have saved as much as purchase a personal airplane for a pastime.
“It appears to be assumed that it’s only the wealthiest who will probably be impacted by the luxurious tax however it isn’t essentially the case,” mentioned Gagné, a companion at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. “It may possibly additionally impression not directly taxpayers who might not think about themselves as being among the many wealthiest however who might resolve to buy an electrical car with a retail gross sales value that occurs to be over the $100,000 threshold.”
Adrienne Vaupshas, a spokeswoman for Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, mentioned the measures, initially proposed within the 2021 price range, are usually not designed to hit the center class.
She mentioned the edge for the tax for boats was intentionally set at $250,000 so it will cowl superyachts and never middle-class households shopping for boats.
Vaupshas mentioned it was “solely proper and truthful that the very wealthiest are requested to pay their fair proportion.”
“The federal government was re-elected on a platform that included a dedication to deliver ahead a luxurious tax on yachts, non-public jets, and luxurious automobiles and implementing this measure is a precedence,” she mentioned.
The tax was initially proposed within the 2021 price range. It is going to cowl luxurious automobiles, planes, and boats purchased for private use and leisure. Industrial autos, together with small planes promoting seats, and emergency autos are among the many courses of auto exempt from the brand new tax.
The tax quantities to both 10 per cent of the taxable quantity of the merchandise or 20 per cent of the quantity over the worth threshold — whichever is much less.
The NDP has been placing strain on the federal authorities to do extra to tax the super-rich. Measures to extend taxes on the wealthiest folks in Canada, nevertheless, weren’t included within the Liberal-NDP confidence and provide pact.
NDP critic for tax equity and inequality, Niki Ashton, mentioned at a information convention final month that she needs the federal authorities to shut loopholes she says are being utilized by the super-rich and firms to keep away from paying billions in taxes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 11, 2022.