RVDA of Canada Supports Government in Upholding Fairness for Canadian Businesses in 2017 Budget

OTTAWA, March 23, 2016 /CNW/ - The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) of Canada congratulates the Liberal Government on protecting Canadian businesses in the recent Federal Budget.  

Yesterday, the Honourable Bill Morneau, presented the 2017 Budget in the House of Commons. This Budget maintained the Government's current positon on de minimis rates for Canada. The current de minimis rule exempts imported parcels with a value of under $20 from sales taxes and customs duties. The Government has stood by its position in the wake of excessive pressure from foreign online vendors to increase the level to as high as $200.

If the de minimis threshold were to be raised to $200, that would mean that any item costing under $200 could be shipped into Canada free of federal and provincial sales taxes and also duty-free. This would ultimately require Canadian merchants to sell their products for a higher price than those being important from other countries, as they would still be required to collect sales tax on their saleable items.

"We are pleased to see the Government supporting Canadian businesses in Budget 2017," stated Eleonore Hamm, President of RVDA of Canada. "This will help protect the chain of Canadian tourism services, products and general retailers, giving back to our local communities and the broader economy."

RVing in Canada has a considerable economic impact; the manufacturing, purchasing, servicing and use of recreation vehicles contributes billions of dollars – both directly and indirectly – to the Canadian economy each year. In fact, in 2011, the total economic activity associated with the Canadian recreation vehicle industry reached $14.5 billion.

Direct spending associated with recreation vehicles reached $11.5 billion. These expenditures generated $8.0 billion in net economic activity (GDP) and 98,800 jobs. In total, the retail sales and services associated with Canada's more‐than‐400 recreation vehicle dealers generated $1.5 billion in net economic activity (GDP) throughout Canada and supported nearly 19,300 jobs.

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada is a national, volunteer federation of provincial and regional RVDA associations and their members, who have united to form a professional trade association for all businesses involved in the recreation vehicle industry.
www.rvda.ca

SOURCE Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada

Ashley Rensler, Public Affairs, 647.317.9057, [email protected]; Eleonore Hamm, President, RVDA of Canada, 604.718.6325, [email protected]