The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released freedom of information documents from five government bodies in Manitoba today, each showing they raised taxes or rates without taking into account increases to the average taxpayers’ earnings. The CTF is calling on each body to take changes to taxpayers’ earnings into account in the future.
Specifically the CTF would like to see government bodies take Statistics Canada’s average weekly earnings data into account when considering overall tax increases. Tax increases passed by other governments should be considered as well.
“We can’t keep seeing the average taxpayers’ income go up by one or two per cent while governments raise taxes by higher amounts,” said CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. “It’s just not a sustainable situation, the system will break.”
|
Government Body |
Most Recent Tax/Rate Hike |
Response |
|
City of Winnipeg |
2014: 2.95% 2013: 3.87% 2012: 3.5% |
No evidence of changes to taxpayers’ incomes taken into account – click here |
|
|
|
|
|
City of Brandon |
2014: 1.42% 2013: 0.98% 2012: 4.9% (Originally proposed 20.3% in 2012) |
No evidence of changes to taxpayers’ incomes taken into account – click here |
|
|
|
|
|
Winnipeg School Division |
2014: 3.6% 2013: 6.7% 2012: 7.8% Note: Amount paid by taxpayers increased by 68% over last three years – click here |
No evidence of changes to taxpayers’ incomes taken into account – click here |
|
|
|
|
|
Brandon School Division |
2014: 2.9% 2013: 7.8% |
“The Board of Trustees does not conduct such an analysis” – click here |
|
|
|
|
|
Manitoba Hydro |
2014: 3.95% 2013: 3.5% 2012: 4.55%
|
Ability to pay not considered in Hydro’s plan to raise rates by 3.95% per year over the next couple decades – click here. |
Average weekly earnings data from Statistics Canada shows Manitobans saw an increase in their pay from March 2012 to March 2013 of just 1.8%. From March 2011 to March 2012, Manitobans saw a 2.7% increase. March 2013 to March 2014 data is expected out in May, 2014.
“The government can’t obviously accommodate everyone when setting a city-wide property tax increase or school tax increase,” added Craig. “But it needs to start taking changes to taxpayers’ incomes into account.”
Is Canada Off Track?
Canada has problems. You see them at gas station. You see them at the grocery store. You see them on your taxes.
Is anyone listening to you to find out where you think Canada’s off track and what you think we could do to make things better?
You can tell us what you think by filling out the survey