431-00110 (Taxation)

Our Government is committed to helping all Canadians get ahead, and that means building a tax system that supports the middle class and those who are working hard to join it.

As the first action of our new mandate, we moved forward with a proposal to put more money back into the pockets of Canadians by increasing the Basic Personal Amount – the amount they can earn before paying federal income tax. 

The Basic Personal Amount is proposed to increase to $15,000 by 2023. This increase will cut taxes for close to 20 million Canadians starting in 2020. Nearly 1.1 million more Canadians will no longer pay tax in 2023. When fully implemented, single individuals could save close to $300 every year, and families could save nearly $600. 

To ensure that this tax relief goes to people who need it most, the Government proposes to phase out the benefits of the increased Basic Personal Amount for high income earners.

This proposal builds on the success of key initiatives from our first mandate. These include the middle class tax cut implemented in 2016 and the introduction of the Canada Child Benefit, which has helped lift nearly 300,000 children out of poverty. 

As a result of the middle class tax cut, the Canada Child Benefit and the proposed changes to the Basic Personal Amount, a typical family of four could be better off by more than $2,300 this year, compared to 2015. When the proposed changes to the Basic Personal Amount are fully rolled out, the family could be better off by more than $2,800 compared to 2015.

Over the last four years, we have seen what can happen when we put people first and invest in the things that make their lives easier: more money for families to help grow the economy, more than a million new jobs, more liveable communities, and greater opportunities for people to get ahead. The Government’s plan for middle class progress is working, and it will continue making life more affordable for Canadians in the years ahead.