- General Information - Taxation - Financial Services - International Relations -

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the Department of Finance Canada and other related matters.

General Information

What is the role of the Department of Finance Canada?

The Department of Finance Canada is the federal department primarily responsible for providing the Government of Canada with analysis and advice on the broad economic and financial affairs of Canada.

Its responsibilities include:

• Preparing the federal budget.
• Preparing tax and tariff legislation.
• Managing federal borrowing on financial markets.
• Administering major federal transfers to the provinces and territories.
• Developing regulatory policy for the financial sector.
• Representing Canada within international financial institutions.

For more information on the roles and responsibilities of the Department, the following links will be helpful: About Us and Structure and Role.

What is the role of the Canada Revenue Agency?

The Canada Revenue Agency, which falls under the purview of the Minister of National Revenue, is responsible for Canadian tax administration. Its responsibilities include assessing and collecting taxes and levies, and delivering social and economic benefits, such as the goods and services tax credit, through the tax system on behalf of the Government of Canada.

For more information, visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.

What is the budget?

The budget, which is usually presented annually, is the statement by the Minister of Finance setting out the federal government’s projected revenues and expenditures—sometimes called fiscal projections—and the resulting surplus or deficit. It also contains an overview of the Government's economic projections and sets out fiscal policy for the period ahead. To read recent federal budget publications, visit http://www.fin.gc.ca/access/budinfoe.html.

How can I find out when the next federal budget will be tabled?

Budget dates are announced on the News Releases page on the Department of Finance Canada website. If you would like to receive automatic e-mail notification of news releases or of the posting of a new budget, please visit the E-Mail Alert Registration webpage.

What is the Economic and Fiscal Update?

The Economic and Fiscal Update provides an annual update on the national economic and federal fiscal situation leading to the budget-planning process. It can be the base document for pre-budget consultations.

How can I contact the Minister of Finance?

Click on the following link: http://www.fin.gc.ca/comment/minfine.html.

Where can I find a list of Ministers of Finance of Canada?

This information is available at http://www.fin.gc.ca/activty/minfinlist_e.html.

How can I find a telephone number for a Department of Finance Canada employee?

The Government Electronic Directory Services provides a directory of federal public servants for all regions across Canada, including the Department of Finance Canada (FIN-FIN,GC,CA).

Where can I get information about employment with the Department of Finance Canada?

Every year, the Department of Finance Canada conducts a university recruitment campaign. To find out more, visit the Careers section of our website. Other employment opportunities in the Government of Canada are available on the Public Service Commission of Canada website.

How can I sign up for the electronic mailing list of your publications?

You may sign up for electronic e-mail alerts at http://www.fin.gc.ca/scripts/register_e.asp.

Where can I get more information about Canada Savings Bonds?

For information about Canada Savings Bonds and Canada Premium Bonds, you can contact Canada Investment and Savings by telephone at 1 800 575-5151, TTY (teletypewriter) only 1 800 354-2222; by fax at (613) 782-8096; or by e-mail at csb@csb.gc.ca. You can also visit their website at www.csb.gc.ca.

How can I get information about my own personal income tax situation or change my address for my tax returns or refunds?

Department of Finance Canada officials do not have access to taxpayers’ files. These are the responsibility of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which administers the tax system and falls under the purview of the Minister of National Revenue. To find out more about your personal income tax situation or to make changes to your income tax file, a good place to start is the CRA’s website located at www.cra-arc.gc.ca.

There you will find:

• General information, forms and publications.
• The CRA’s office addresses and phone numbers.
• A new secure electronic service, My Account (www.cra.gc.ca/myaccount), which allows you to view some of your personalized information.

Does the Department of Finance Canada provide financial assistance to businesses or organizations?

The Department of Finance Canada is a policy department and, as such, does not administer assistance programs for businesses or organizations. The Government of Canada department that may be able to provide information about financial assistance depends on the nature of your request. These links may be helpful: http://canada.gc.ca/comments/form_e.html or the Canada Business. You can also call 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232) or 1 800 926-9105 (TTY).

I would like to register my business and/or obtain licences for my business.

The Department of Finance Canada is a policy department and, as such, does not administer programs for businesses. Please visit the Industry Canada website at http://www.ic.gc.ca/ for information on federal programs for businesses.

You may also visit the Canada Revenue Agency website at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/business/topics/bn/bro/menu-e.html or contact your provincial government.

I am looking for the status of a parliamentary bill.

This information is available at http://www.parl.gc.ca/legisinfo/index.asp?Lang=E.

Is the Department of Finance Canada the same institution as the Ministry of Finance?

No. The Department of Finance Canada is a federal government department whereas the Ministry of Finance is a department in several provinces. A list of provincial and territorial departments responsible for finances is provided below.

• Alberta: Ministry of Finance
• British Columbia: Ministry of Finance and Corporate Relations
• Manitoba: Department of Finance
• New Brunswick: Department of Finance
• Newfoundland and Labrador: Department of Finance
• Northwest Territories: Department of Finance
• Nova Scotia: Department of Finance
• Nunavut: Department of Finance
• Ontario: Ministry of Finance
• Prince Edward Island: Provincial Treasury
• Quebec: Department of Finance
• Saskatchewan: Department of Finance
• Yukon: Department of Finance

What is this year’s employment insurance rate?

You can obtain that information by reviewing the following news release:
http://www.fin.gc.ca/news05/05-075e.html.

Please note that the employment insurance premium for 2006 was announced in November 2005. Therefore, this information is made available in our 2005 news release section.

I am having a problem with my employment insurance benefits. Can the Department of Finance Canada help me?

The administration of the employment insurance (EI) benefit system is the responsibility of Human Resources and Social Development. Information on EI is available at http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/nav/top_nav/program/ei.shtml.

How can I obtain a copy of the Income Tax Act?

Neither the Canada Revenue Agency nor the Department of Finance Canada publishes the Income Tax Act in print or electronically. Technically, it is "published" by Parliament in the form of bills that are enacted. In practice, however, it is a major task to keep the Act current because it is amended frequently. Therefore, it is left to commercial publishers such as Carswell, Commerce Clearing House, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and Ernst & Young to consolidate the Act (about 2,000 pages).

Should you wish to obtain a copy of the Act, you may consider contacting one of those publishers directly or you can check with a bookstore. As well, most public libraries carry the publication in their collections. The Department of Justice Canada also has a version on its website at http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-3.3/index.html.

Can the Department of Finance Canada help me with my Canada Pension Plan benefits?

The administration of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefit system is the responsibility of Human Resources and Social Development. Information on the CPP is available through the following link: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/topics/cpr-gxr.shtml.

Can the Department of Finance Canada help me with my student loan?

The administration of the federal student loans system is the responsibility of Human Resources and Social Development. You can obtain more information at Canada Student Loans Program.

You may also be interested in a related FAQ on this site: What tax measures are available to help students?

Taxation

How do Canada’s tax levels compare to those of other countries?

In 2003, the most recent year for which there are comparable statistics, Canada’s total tax burden was 33.8 per cent of its gross domestic product—placing us in the middle of the Group of Seven (G-7) industrialized countries, which include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Among the G-7, France has the highest total tax burden at 43.4 per cent and Japan has the lowest at 25.3 per cent.

What is the goods and services tax credit?

The goods and services tax (GST) credit is a cash payment to low- and modest-income people to help them offset the cost of paying GST on things they buy. The GST credit is paid in quarterly instalments.

Effective July 1, 2006, the basic annual amounts are $232 per adult and $122 per child. There is also a supplement of up to $122 for single individuals and $122 for single parents.

How much tax is there on cigarettes?

Federal excise duties on tobacco are $15.85 per carton of 200 cigarettes. The federal government also charges the 6-per-cent GST on the final retail price of tobacco products.

Provincial and territorial governments also charge taxes ranging from just over $20 per carton to more than $40 per carton.

How much tax is there on alcohol?

Different rates of federal excise duty apply to different types of beverage alcohol:

• For beer, duty is imposed at $2.29 per case of 24 bottles.
• For wine, the rate is 38 cents per 750 ml bottle.
• For spirits, the excise rate is $3.32 per 750 ml bottle with an alcohol content by volume of 40 per cent.

The federal government also charges the 6-per-cent GST on the final retail price of alcohol products. Provincial and territorial governments also charge various levies, markups and sales taxes on alcohol.

How much tax is there on gasoline and diesel fuel?

• Federal excise tax is 10 cents per litre on gasoline and 4 cents on diesel fuel. The Government of Canada also charges the 6-per-cent GST on the final retail price of gasoline and diesel fuel.

• All provinces and territories also impose product taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, some provinces charge provincial sales tax on these products.

What is the Canada Child Tax Benefit?

The Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) is one of the Government of Canada’s important ways of providing financial assistance for families with children. It is a non-taxable benefit delivered through the tax system. The CCTB comprises three components:

• The CCTB base benefit, which is targeted to low- and middle-income families.
• The National Child Benefit supplement, which provides additional assistance to low-income families.
• The Child Disability Benefit (CDB), which provides additional assistance to low- and modest-income families caring for a child eligible for the disability tax credit (DTC).

As of July 2006, the maximum annual benefit for a first child is about $3,200, plus the CDB for families with a DTC-eligible child. The CCTB is generally paid in monthly instalments.

About 3 million families receive the CCTB.

For further information on the CCTB, click on the following weblink: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/benefits/cctb/menu-e.html.

What tax measures are available to help families with children?

Families with incomes up to about $100,000 per year who have children may be entitled to the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB). The CCTB includes the National Child Benefit supplement for low-income families—i.e., those earning up to about $36,000 per year. As of July 2006, the maximum annual benefit for a first child is about $3,200.

Low-income families may also be entitled to the goods and services tax credit. Effective July 1, 2006, the basic annual amounts are $232 per adult and $122 per child. There is also a supplement of up to $122 for single individuals and $122 for single parents.

Families may also take advantage of registered education savings plans (RESPs) to help save for post-secondary education for their children or grandchildren. For each child, families can save up to $4,000 per year, up to a maximum of $42,000. Although contributions are not tax-deductible, the income generated by these contributions can grow tax-free until it is withdrawn for the child’s education.

Since 1998, the Government of Canada has supplemented the first $2,000 saved in a year for each child with a Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) of up to $400. As of 2005, these so-called "matching rates" are enhanced for low- and middle-income families.

For children born in 2004 or later, the Canada Learning Bond provides up to $2,000 of education savings by age 16 for children in families entitled to the National Child Benefit supplement. The Canada Learning Bond is also added to the child’s RESP.

Both the Canada Learning Bond and CESG programs are administered by Human Resources and Social Development. For more information on both programs, click on the following weblink: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/nav/top_nav/program/cesg.shtml.

What tax measures are available to help students?

The tuition credit gives students a tax credit (15 per cent for 2005) for their full tuition costs. On a tuition bill of $3,000, for example, the federal credit provides tax relief of $450.

In addition, the education credit recognizes the non-tuition costs of post-secondary education and training, such as the cost of textbooks. The amount used for calculating the credit is $400 per month for full-time students and $120 per month for part-time students.

Up to $5,000 of unused tuition and education amounts can be transferred to a supporting parent and certain other relatives. Moreover, amounts that the student cannot use in the year and that are not transferred can be carried forward and used by the student to reduce tax liability in future years.

In addition, the first $3,000 of bursary and scholarship income received by students taking post-secondary education is tax-exempt.

To ease the burden of student debt of post-secondary students, a tax credit (15 per cent for 2005) is available for the interest paid on student loans under the Canada Student Loans Program and similar provincial programs.

Under the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP), Canadians can access their registered retirement savings plans to pursue full-time post-secondary training or education, without immediate tax consequences. Up to $20,000 can be withdrawn tax-free over four years. Amounts withdrawn must be repaid in equal instalments over 10 years. Amounts that are not repaid must be included in income. For more information on the LLP, click on the following weblink: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/topics/rrsp/llp/menu-e.html.

What tax measures are available to help people save for post-secondary education?

Families may take advantage of registered education savings plans (RESPs) to help save for post-secondary education for their children or grandchildren. For each child, families can save up to $4,000 per year, up to a maximum of $42,000. Although contributions are not tax-deductible, the income generated by these contributions can grow tax-free until it is withdrawn for the child’s education.

Since 1998, the Government of Canada has supplemented the first $2,000 saved in a year for each child with a Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) of up to $400. As of 2005, these so-called "matching rates" are enhanced for low- and middle-income families.

For children born in 2004 or later, the Canada Learning Bond provides up to $2,000 of education savings by age 16 for children in families entitled to the National Child Benefit supplement. The Canada Learning Bond is also added to the child's RESP.

Both the Canada Learning Bond and CESG programs are administered by Human Resources and Social Development. For more information on both programs, click on the following weblink: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/gateways/nav/top_nav/program/cesg.shtml.

You may also be interested in a related FAQ on this site: Can the Department of Finance Canada help me with my student loan?

What tax measures are available for persons with disabilities and those who care for them?

Significant personal income tax relief is available to persons with disabilities or above-average medical expenses, as well as to individuals who care for them.

The main measures are:

• The disability tax credit (DTC), which provides about $1,000 in tax relief to individuals with severe and prolonged impairments in mental or physical functions, recognizes the impact of general disability-related costs on an individual’s ability to pay tax.
• The medical expense tax credit, which provides tax relief to individuals in recognition of specific disability-related or above-average medical expenses on an individual’s ability to pay tax.
• The refundable medical expense supplement, which improves work incentives for Canadians with disabilities and others with above-average medical expenses by helping to offset the loss of disability-related support when they enter the paid labour force.
• The disability supports deduction, which ensures that income used to pay for disability supports incurred for employment or education is not taxed and does not affect income-tested benefits.
• The Child Disability Benefit (CDB), which is a supplement of the Canada Child Tax Benefit. The CDB can be worth more than $2,000 to low- and modest-income families caring for a child eligible for the DTC.

In addition, the caregiver credit and the infirm dependant credit offer tax relief to individuals providing care to a dependent relative. Each of these credits is worth up to about $600.

What are the personal income tax changes for 2006?

Please refer to our news release at http://www.fin.gc.ca/news05/05-087e.html.

What are the 2006 automobile deduction rates?

You may refer to our news release at http://www.fin.gc.ca/news05/05-086e.html.

Why are the 2006 automobile rates under the 2005 listing of news releases?

The news releases are listed according to the year of the announcement and not according to the year to which the content refers.

Financial Services

Where can I get information about bank regulations?

You can get this information from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). OSFI regulates financial institutions and employer-employee pension plans under federal jurisdiction, contributes to public confidence in the Canadian financial system and protects depositors, policyholders, pension plan beneficiaries and creditors from undue loss. It maintains a comprehensive supervisory framework aimed at determining whether financial institutions and pension plans are in sound financial condition and in compliance with statutory requirements. For more information, visit the OSFI website at http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca/.

What is Canada doing about money laundering?

Money laundering is the process by which "dirty money" generated by criminal activities is converted into assets that cannot be easily traced back to their illegal origins. A significant proportion is linked to profits from the illicit drug trade, but proceeds from other crimes, including burglaries and cigarette smuggling, are also involved. Money laundering, when carried out through financial institutions, could have an adverse effect on their reputations. It is a serious criminal offence.

Money laundering is global in scope, making international co-operation and co-ordination essential to its deterrence and detection. Canada is an active member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), created by G-7 leaders in 1989 to develop standards for combatting money laundering and to promote their implementation worldwide. In 2001, the mandate of the FATF was broadened to include the fight against terrorist financing.

Consistent with FATF standards, Canada implemented the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA). The PCMLTFA provides law enforcement with additional tools to help in their investigations into organized crime, money laundering and terrorist financing.

The PCMLTFA requires financial institutions and intermediaries to report terrorist property and suspicious transactions—where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they are related to money laundering or terrorist financing—to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC). The PCMLTFA also requires them to report large cash transactions, large international electronic funds transfers, and the movement of large amounts of currency and monetary instruments (traveller’s cheques, money orders, etc.) across Canada’s borders, and to meet record-keeping and client identification obligations. Once FINTRAC has analyzed information and is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that it would be relevant to a criminal investigation, FINTRAC discloses the information to law enforcement.

The PCMLTFA is currently under review to ensure consistency with the revised international standards that have been developed by the FATF and with legislation already in place in most industrialized countries around the world.

I want to verify the legitimacy of a financial institution.

You may visit the website of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions at http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca or contact them by telephone at (613) 943-3950, TTY: (613) 943-3980 (toll-free: 1 800 385-8647).

I am having problems with a Canadian financial institution. Who should I contact?

For consumer-related questions, visit the website of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) at http://www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/. The FCAC provides consumer information and oversees financial institutions to ensure that they comply with federal consumer protection measures.

International Relations

What is the G-20 and how is Canada involved?

The purpose of the G-20 is to ensure broader participation in discussions on international financial affairs among countries that play a particularly crucial role in the global economy.

The G-20 consists of finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 industrialized and emerging market countries. The members are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. The G-20 also includes representatives from the European Central Bank and the Bretton Woods institutions (the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund) and their policy committees. The G-20 was created in September 1999, at which time the Minister of Finance for Canada was chosen to serve as chair for the first two years.

For the latest information about the G-20, consult the official G-20 website located at http://www.g20.org/Public/index.jsp.