One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
As some vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes miss out on benefits, the Canada Revenue Agency is expected to pilot a new automatic system next year.
This week's federal budget said the agency will also present a plan by 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
The move toward automatic tax filing, first promised in the 2020 speech from the throne, is one of several budget measures the Liberals say are meant to help Canadians with the cost of living.
Jennifer Robson, an associate professor in political management at Carleton University, said she's "cautiously optimistic" about the move.
"This has the potential to be transformative," said Robson, who has published research on people who don't file their taxes.
Automatic tax filing is already a reality in many other countries, including the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Robson said that in Canada, it would likely involve the CRA pre-filling a tax return with the information it has on file. Then the agency would give the individual an opportunity to update the return or submit additional information, such as eligible medical expenses.
Experts and advocates have called for automatic filing, noting many vulnerable Canadians miss out on benefits to which they are entitled.
Canadians are generally not required to file tax returns every year unless they owe money, but the federal government is increasingly relying on the Canada Revenue Agency to deliver income-tested benefits to individuals.
That includes Canada Child Benefit, as well as the recent top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit and the temporary doubling of the GST tax credit.
Although a move toward automatic filing isn't a "shiny new program," it's a small change that could have a significant impact on affordability, said a former head of economic strategy and planning for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
"Sometimes, actually, having a big transformational impact on people's lives can come through doing some boring stuff," said Tyler Meredith.
"For many people who might not be receiving some of those benefits today that they're entitled to, that's potentially thousands of dollars that they could access."
A 2020 report co-authored by Robson estimates that 10 to 12 per cent of Canadians don't file their taxes. Although there were non-filers across all income groups, they were most heavily concentrated in lower income brackets.
The report estimated the value of benefits lost to working-age non-filers was $1.7 billion in 2015.
Beyond getting benefits to people, Meredith said the change might also help the federal government better connect with underserved individuals.
As people become aware of the benefits they're entitled to, they might be encouraged to explore their personal accounts with the CRA or Service Canada to learn about other government programs available to them, he said.
A move toward automatic filing would pose a threat to the tax preparation industry, which relies on people needing to proactively file their taxes. But Robson said some people may still want to seek professional help.
"There's going to be some continuing need for those services in the sense that there will be people who have complicated tax situations who need the advice of professionals and advisors," Robson said.
But how long will it take for automatic filing to be a reality?
Robson said it'll depend on both the CRA's administrative capacity as well as the federal government's political will.
The federal budget also said the Canada Revenue Agency will expand access to a service set up in 2018 that allows some Canadians with lower or fixed incomes to auto-file simple returns over the telephone.
The budget says that two million Canadians will be eligible for that service, called "File My Return," by 2025, which is nearly three times the number of people who can use it now.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2023.
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
"The Fall Guy," the Ryan Gosling-led, action-comedy ode to stunt performers, opened below expectations with US$28.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, providing a lukewarm start to a summer movie season that's very much to be determined for Hollywood.
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.