Bills

Summary

Standing Committee on Finance Report

Part 1 implements certain measures in respect of the Income Tax Act and the Income Tax Regulations by

(a) modifying the Labour Mobility Deduction for eligible tradespeople by increasing the annual limit on expenses that can be deducted and by reducing the distance threshold for eligibility;

(b) making permanent the capital gains tax exemption for the sale of a business to an employee ownership trust or a worker co-operative;

(c) extending the repayment grace period under the Home Buyers’ Plan;

(d) providing temporary immediate expensing for eligible greenhouse buildings; and

(e) improving the interaction of the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program with existing tax rules.

Part 2 amends the Excise Tax Act to temporarily set the excise tax rate on gasoline and aviation gasoline to $0.‍00 and on diesel fuel and aviation fuel to $0.‍00 for the period beginning on April 20, 2026 and ending on September 7, 2026. It also amends the Excise Act and the Excise Act, 2001 to implement an additional two-year extension of the 2% cap on the annual alcohol excise duty inflation adjustment, and of the 50% reduction on excise duty rates for the first 15,000 hectolitres of beer brewed in Canada, effective April 1, 2026.

Part 3 amends several Acts in order to implement various measures.

Division 1 of Part 3 amends the Bank Act to provide that the Investment Canada Act does not apply in respect of certain transactions made by foreign banks or entities associated with a foreign bank if the transactions are subject to an approval under the Bank Act, the Trust and Loan Companies Act or the Insurance Companies Act.

Division 2 of Part 3 amends the Bank of Canada Act to combine into a single Act the Bank of Canada’s powers, duties and functions related to the recovery of costs incurred by it for or in connection with the administration of certain Acts. It also makes related amendments to other Acts.

Division 3 of Part 3 amends the Canadian Payments Act to provide immunity for the Canadian Payment Association and certain individuals from any civil liability, other than in contract, for anything done or omitted to be done in good faith in the administration or discharge of any powers or duties conferred under that Act.

Division 4 of Part 3 amends the Employment Insurance Act to, among other things,

(a) extend, until October 7, 2028, the duration of the measure that increases the maximum number of weeks for which benefits may be paid in a benefit period to certain seasonal workers;

(b) remove the description of the regions in which the workers must be ordinarily resident to be eligible for the increase;

(c) provide that those regions are established by regulation; and

(d) provide that paragraph 12(2.‍3)‍(b) of that Act is repealed on November 7, 2027.

Division 5 of Part 3 amends the Canada Pension Plan to reduce the contribution rate for employees, employers and self-employed persons for the year 2027 and each subsequent year.

Division 6 of Part 3 amends the Canada Transportation Act to require certain individuals and entities to provide the Minister of Transport with information that that Minister considers necessary for the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions of that Minister or for the development of transportation policies. The Division also amends that Act to specify the individuals and entities to whom such information may be communicated.

Division 7 of Part 3 amends the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act to clarify the mandate of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and authorize the Governor in Council to, in certain circumstances, exempt persons, things or activities, or classes of persons, things or activities, from the application of provisions of certain Acts of Parliament, or regulations made under those Acts, that are administered or enforced by the Agency. It also makes a consequential amendment to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act.

Division 8 of Part 3 amends the Pest Control Products Act to, among other things,

(a) require the Minister of Health to consider, as appropriate, national economic security, regional economic security or national food security, for the purposes of that Act;

(b) authorize the Governor in Council to, by order, after that Minister has decided that they do not consider the environmental risks of a pest control product to be acceptable, register or amend the product’s registration to permit its use in the emergency control of a seriously detrimental infestation, or amend, reinstate, or both reinstate and amend the registration of the product, if the Governor in Council considers it necessary to do so to protect national economic security, regional economic security or national food security; and

(c) provide that the Governor in Council may establish conditions in the order.

The full text of the Bill.

Sponsor: Minister of Finance and National Revenue François-Philippe Champagne