KPMG spokespeople available for commentary on upcoming federal budget 2021

Canadians want a 'made-in-Canada' plan that responds to critical economic challenges, strengthens business and nationwide recovery

TORONTO, March 25, 2021 /CNW/ - This year's federal budget – the first since the onset of the pandemic –needs to focus on a 'Canada-first' economic recovery and position the business sector and Canadians for success in a post-pandemic world, says KPMG in Canada.

"This federal budget should set out an ambitious economic recovery plan that builds on recent indications that the economy is beginning to rebound and employment levels are improving," says Lucy Iacovelli, Canadian Managing Partner for Tax and Legal, KPMG in Canada. "A majority of Canadians support further fiscal stimulus in the budget but want investments to be focused on growing the economy and strengthening business resilience and competitiveness, particularly for small- and medium-sized businesses in Canada. There is also a continuing need for targeted relief for certain industries and people who remain deeply affected by the pandemic." 

Ms. Iacovelli adds, "Many Canadian companies require tax and financial incentives to help build their digital capabilities and adopt greener, more innovative solutions for a post-COVID future. In pursuing a made-in-Canada approach, we also hope to see an inclusive budget that works to achieve an equal future for all Canadians."

Possible tax and relief measures the federal government could announce in the upcoming budget include:

COVID-19 Relief Programs

• Further Extend or Adapt Support Programs: Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, Canada Emergency Business Account, Employment Insurance (EI) and targeted personal income supports for Canadians in need.
• Prevent companies currently receiving 75 per cent of payroll from government relief from increasing dividend payments or conducting share buy-backs to enrich shareholders or pay executive bonuses (Source: House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance Report).
• Industry-Specific Support: Provide additional financial support to cultural, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Corporate Tax Measures

• International Digital Tax: As of January 1, 2022, tax multinational tech corporations on revenue generated in Canada if consensus on a multilateral approach is not achieved among OECD members by this date.
• Interest Deductions: Limit the amount of interest that certain corporations can deduct. The potential change could limit interest deductions for corporations with net interest expenses of more than $250,000 to 30 per cent of earnings before interest, depreciation, taxes, and amortization (EBITDA). However, if part of a corporate group, a corporation may be eligible to deduct interest over the 30 per cent threshold based on certain conditions.
• International Tax: Introduce measures to address hybrid debt mismatch arrangements.
• Anti-Avoidance Rules: Launch consultations on changes to anti-avoidance rules to address "sophisticated and aggressive tax planning" (Source: Federal Economic Statement 2020).

Support for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (SMEs)

• Tax Incentives to Attract Investment: Introduce measures to attract capital for new businesses and SME expansion.
• Business Succession: Grant the seller the same tax benefits when a small business or farm is sold from a parent to a child in the form of corporate shares as if it were sold to an unrelated person.
• Other potential small business measures could include financially supporting the shift to digital and a review of the tax rules defining passive and active business income.

Personal Tax and Incentives

• Disability Tax Credit (DTC): Make the Disability Tax Credit more accessible for individuals. Simplify the tax system for people with physical disabilities.
• Canada Child Benefit: Increase this benefit for children under the age of one. The budget may also include investments to increase affordability and access to new early learning and childcare services, possibly through tax credits.
• Luxury Tax: Introduce a sales tax on purchases of luxury goods over $100,000, such as personal automobiles, boats and aircraft.
• Real Estate: Introduce a new, annual 1 per cent tax on vacant "unproductive" domestic housing owned by non-Canadians who do not live in Canada.
• Sustainability: Adopt tax-based financial incentives for Canadians to invest in accredited climate-conscious products, such as green bonds.
• Charitable Donations: Eliminate the capital gains tax on donations of shares in private corporations or real property to charities and provide further incentives for charitable giving.

Innovation

• National Innovation Agenda: Fund new, mission-driven investments that leverage public-private partnerships, focused on outcomes (such as carbon neutrality by 2040).
• Reform Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED): Increase the base rate to 25 per cent, eliminate or raise the upper limit for the taxable capital phase-out range from the current rate of $50 million, and reduce claims documentation.
• Enhance R&D Incentive Programs such as the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance program and the Innovation Assistance Program.
• National Intellectual Property Strategy: Help Canadian companies manage intellectual property rights and protections.
• Corporate Innovation: Incentivize multinational corporations to conduct R&D and patent filings within Canada, particularly in fields where Canada has a strategic or competitive disadvantage.

Climate-Related Measures

• Green Business Incentives: Cut corporate taxes in half for businesses that develop technologies or manufacture products that have zero emissions.
• Electric Vehicles: Broaden incentives for purchasing zero-emission vehicles to include larger, heavy duty vehicles such as electric pickup trucks and SUVs by increasing the MSRP base cut off.
• Green Tech Companies: Potential measures to support and raise market capital using financial tools, such as flow-through shares.
• Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF): Require companies receiving the LEEFF to prove their business plans are in line with the Paris Agreement targets.
• Qualified Environmental Trusts (QET): Allow businesses to use QETs for future remediation of oil and gas wells.
• Skills Training: Expand and reorient employment supports and provide training for green jobs.

In addition, the federal government may also consider the following to support Canada's economic recovery:

• Health Care: Further investments to strengthen health care, mental health supports and vaccine production/pandemic research.
• Infrastructure and Manufacturing: Invest in infrastructure that supports industrial and climate strategies and business incubation activities and support the expansion of domestic manufacturing capacity.
• Inclusive Growth: Initiatives and support for Women, Black Canadians, Indigenous Peoples, People of Colour, the LGBTQ2 community, People with Disabilities and other marginalized groups.
• Trade: Introduce mitigation measures for market access concessions granted under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Budget Commentary

KPMG's professionals are available to provide insight and commentary on the impact of the 2021 federal budget on businesses and Canadians. A listing of our spokespersons is below.

Topic		Spokespersons
Budget Overview		Dino Infanti, Partner, National Leader, Enterprise Tax
		Deborah MacPherson, Partner, Regions West, Tax, Business Unit Leader
		Joseph Micallef, Partner, Tax - National Tax Leader, Financial Services
		Joy Nott, Partner, Trade and Customs
		Carmela Pallotto, Partner, Tax, Corporate Tax – Financial Institutions
		Shane Onufrechuk, Partner, Tax
COVID Relief Measures		Barry Travers, National Tax Leader - Public Sector Tax
Private Enterprises		Mary Jo Fedy, National Enterprise Leader
•	Small- and Mid-Sized Businesses	Sunil Mistry, Audit Partner, KPMG Enterprise
Tax-Specific:		Aaron Gillespie, Partner, Enterprise Tax
•	Personal Tax	Walter Sisti, Partner, National Leader - Indirect
•	Digital Tax (GST/HST)	Tax Services
•	Green Incentives/Carbon & Fuel Taxes/Hydrogen Strategy	Torran Jolly, Partner, Tax
		Jennifer Muirhead, Partner, Tax
•	Corporate Tax	Curtis Lester, Partner, Calgary Tax and
		Business Unit Leader
Climate Change and Decarbonization		Bill Murphy, National Leader, Climate Change &
Environmental, Social and Governance		Sustainability
Clean Tech		Roopa Davé, Partner, Sustainability Services
Digital Workforce and Innovation Economy		Armughan Ahmad, President and Canadian
		Managing Partner, Digital
Budget and Quebec Business		Pascal Martel, Partner in charge, Tax, Quebec
		Region
Industrial & Infrastructure Investments		Ross Homeniuk, Partner, Advisory, National
		Leader, Infrastructure Asset & Operations
		Management

For further details on these and other budget predictions, read KPMG's latest edition of TaxNewsFlash-Canada.

About KPMG in Canada

KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs nearly 8,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see home.kpmg/ca

SOURCE KPMG LLP

To arrange an interview with a KPMG spokesperson, please contact: Nancy White, National Communications, KPMG in Canada, [phone] or [phone] (cell), [email protected]