Must be a federal election. The Conservatives are promising tax credits again, and disguising them as tax cuts.
For example, they have announced tax credits for transit, arts classes, fitness lessons, and tutoring.
To benefit from a tax credit, you first need to be able to afford to pay out of pocket for the qualifying service, then make enough money to need to pay income tax.
If you can’t afford art classes, fitness lessons, or tutoring to start with, you don’t get access to those tax credits.
If you make less than $20,000—the minimum amount of the lowest tax bracket—you don’t get access to any of these tax credits. 1 out of 3 people who file taxes in Canada don’t make enough to have to pay income tax.
Instead of giving tax credits for arts and sports programmes, better fund these programmes, so they ’re more affordable.
Instead of giving tax credits for tutoring, better fund education so students don’t need tutors.
Instead of giving tax credits for transit, better fund transit so transit users don’t need to pay fares, just like drivers don’t need to pay fares to use roads.
Tax credits are nothing but smoke and mirrors.
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