HALF OF CANADA’S SMALL FIRMS TO BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY HIKE IN CAPITAL GAINS INCLUSION RATE: CFIB - Toronto - Canada's Podcast

Dan Kelly, President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, discusses the impact of the capital gains inclusion rate on small businesses.

Check out this video interview.

PRESS RELEASE
Toronto, June 20, 2024 – Half of Canada’s small business owners will be hit by the new 66.7% inclusion rate hike coming into effect on June 25, warns the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

Despite government’s claim that the rate would affect only a tiny share of the wealthiest Canadians, over half (55%) of small business owners say it will affect the eventual sale of their business, 45% say it will affect the investments they hold privately, and 41% say it will affect investments held within their incorporated businesses.

“Even the federal budget admits that 307,000 Canadian corporations had net capital gains in 2022 alone. Like individual Canadians, companies often record capital gains as a one time or occasional event, not every year. The impact of the hike in the inclusion rate needs to be measured over the long term, not just in any one given year,” said Dan Kelly, CFIB president.

While the federal government has proposed a welcome increase in the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption, this will not help business owners who sell the assets, rather than the shares, of their company. In addition, business owners who hold investments within their corporations for the owner’s retirement or for reinvestment in the company will be hit by the 66.7% inclusion rate on any capital gain as corporations are ineligible for the $250,000 annual allowance at the 50% level.

“With details of the changes in the inclusion rate only coming out in last week’s Ways and Means Motion, business owners were only given two weeks to make informed decisions, leaving virtually no time to change gears. And details of the proposed Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive have yet to be published, leaving entrepreneurs largely in the dark on this potentially beneficial change,” Kelly added.

CFIB continues to push the government to:

1.    Scrap the planned increase in the general inclusion rate to 66.7%. If government is unwilling to abandon this plan, it should:

Grandfather all existing capital gains using a V-Day (valuation day) as was done in 1971
Allow corporations to benefit from $250,000 each year at 50% inclusion like individuals
Allow for 5-year income averaging to benefit from the $250,000 annual threshold for larger capital gains for irregular events, like selling a property
2.    Expand the new Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive to include all entrepreneurs:

Include all sectors, including farmers and fishers selling assets
Include non-founders to encourage people to invest in small firms
Cut the 10-year implementation schedule in half
Read CFIB’s letter for a full list of recommendations on the proposed capital gains changes.

Mario Toneguzzi

Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024.

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