(Ottawa) The Liberals plan to take the first legislative measure this Monday to increase the capital gains inclusion rate.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement on Sunday, saying the government was taking steps to improve tax fairness for Canadians.
Freeland introduced changes to the capital gains tax as part of her April budget, but left the new inclusion rate out of the budget legislation.
The government is proposing to make two-thirds of capital gains taxable.
Currently, only half of profits made from the sale of assets – such as shares or secondary real estate – are taxed.
The Liberals must table a motion in the House of Commons before introducing the capital gains bill. The government says the change will come into effect on June 25, although no bill has yet been passed.
Lobbying groups representing businesses and doctors who expect to be affected by the changes have called on the government to reconsider increasing the inclusion rate.
However, the Liberals have defended an effective increase in the capital gains tax, arguing that Canada needs to generate more revenue to finance things like housing and health care.
The government estimates that increasing the inclusion rate will generate $19.4 billion over the next five years.
