Ontario is creating 30 new Family Health Teams across the province to provide better access to family health care.

Family Health Teams provide care closer to home by bringing together health care professionals such as physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers and dieticians. Working together, they offer quality team-based care while also attaching more patients who don’t have a regular family doctor to one in their community.  They also help reduce demand on hospital emergency departments by providing non-emergency care.

The addition of 30 new teams meets Ontario’s commitment to create 200 Family Health Teams. Family Health Teams are currently providing care to over 2.3 million Ontarians and serving over 393,000 previously unattached patients.

Today’s announcement is a key part of the government’s Open Ontario Plan to provide more access to health care services while improving quality and accountability for patients.

QUOTES

“What makes these Family Health Teams so valuable is that each one is developed with the needs of the community in mind. These additional 30 new teams will provide even greater access to quality heath care for people in the community.”

– Deb Matthews
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

“We are thrilled with today’s announcement of an additional 30 Family Health Teams opening their doors province-wide. These teams will not only provide Ontarians with access to a doctor in their community, but to a team of health care professionals that can provide patient-centred care.”

– Dr. Mark McLeod
President, OMA

QUICK FACTS

• More than 900,000 Ontarians have been attached to a family doctor, since 2003.
• It is expected that once all 200 teams are operational, they will provide access to primary care for more than three million Ontarians.
• As of 2009, there were 2,886 more doctors providing services to Ontario patients than in 2003.
• Ontarians without a family health care provider can register with Health Care Connect, a program that helps people find a family doctor or nurse practitioner in their community.
• Ontario has also announced 25 Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics which are expected to care for more than 40,000 people.

LEARN MORE

• Family Health Teams
• Find out more about Family Health Teams

Ontario released the 2009-10 Public Accounts which highlights the government’s actions to lessen the impact of the global recession on Ontarians as well as a responsible plan to eliminate the deficit by 2017-18.

The government is making record investments in infrastructure including short-term stimulus investments which are expected to create and sustain more than 300,000 jobs across the province over two years.

The province will continue to make key investments through its five-year

Open Ontario plan, which supports job creation and enhances the programs and services Ontarians value, including education, health care and skills training.

As a result of responsible fiscal management and an improving economy in Ontario, the final deficit for the 2009-10 fiscal year is $19.3 billion, which is $5.4 billion lower than the initial forecast made in the Fall of 2009 and $2 billion lower than the March 2010 Budget forecast.

QUOTES

“While there are signs of positive economic growth in Ontario, we will continue to monitor the economic situation around the world. Our Open Ontario plan lays out a path to create jobs, grow the economy and eliminate the deficit. We are following this plan, and it is delivering positive results”

– Dwight Duncan
Minister of Finance

QUICK FACTS

• The Public Accounts of Ontario present the financial statements of the province, provide financial highlights of the past fiscal year and report on performance against the goals set out in the 2009 Budget.
• Revenues for 2009-10 were $95.8 billion – $6.7 billion below the 2009 Budget forecast. This is mainly due to a deeper than expected recession and the lagging effects of the global financial crisis.
• Expenses for 2009-10 were $115.1 billion – $2.6 billion lower than the 2010 Budget estimate. This is largely due to the increase in value of the investment the province made in the auto sector, which reduced government expense by almost $1 billion, lower interest on debt of $0.2 billion and ministry program expenditures being $1.4 billion below projected levels.
• In 2008-09, Ontario spending on general government services was $134 per person which is 28 per cent below the average of other provincial governments and the second lowest among the provinces.

LEARN MORE

Read the 2009-10 Public Accounts of Ontario Annual Report

About 3.1 million Ontario families and individuals will soon benefit from Ontario Sales Tax Credit payments.

Starting next week, eligible low- to middle-income Ontarians will receive the first of quarterly payments that will provide them with up to $260 annually for each adult and child. This is in addition to the existing federal GST credit.

Ontario has modernized an outdated, 50-year-old tax system. Ontario’s tax plan includes permanent income tax cuts for families and businesses, the new permanent Ontario Sales Tax Credit and the implementation of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

The tax plan also benefits Ontarians by providing:

• A permanent income tax cut on the first personal income tax bracket, benefiting 93 per cent of income tax payers as of January 1, 2010.
• Ontario Sales Tax Transition Benefit payments, providing up to $1,000 to most families or up to $300 for most single people.

About 83 per cent of consumer spending will see no change in tax as a result of the HST. This tax package is a key component of the five-year Open Ontario plan, which supports job creation and enhances the programs and services, including education, health care and skills training, that Ontarians value.

On July 24, 2010, the CRA issued a notice of intention to revoke the charitable registration of Christ Apostolic Church International – Canada, in accordance with subsection 168(1) of the Income Tax Act. The letter stated, in part, that:

Our audit of Christ Apostolic Church International – Canada (the Organization) has identified serious non-compliance with the requirements of the Income Tax Act (the Act). In particular, throughout the course of the audit significant receipting discrepancies were discovered and the Organization provided falsified invoices to substantiate donations and property allegedly distributed.

The Organization was unable to provide a complete record of donation receipts issued. A large number of duplicate copies of receipts were either missing or not maintained.  Additionally the Organization could not account for numerous blank receipt books. Of the receipts provided by the Organization, serious discrepancies were noted including taxpayer names and donation amounts that did not match the receipts as filed by the taxpayers.

The Organization reported, for the 2007 fiscal year, tax-receipted donations of $256,615 of cash yet only deposited $81,298 into its bank account. When asked to account for this discrepancy, the Organization responded that the receipted amount represented both cash and property donated. However, when asked to substantiate the property purportedly received, the Organization provided falsified purchase invoices and shipping documents.

It is the view of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that the Organization has improperly issued receipts for amounts greater than the amounts donated, issued receipts for transactions that do not qualify as gifts or are otherwise not in accordance with the Act and its Regulations, has failed to maintain and provide adequate records to support its activities and has provided falsified records to the CRA. For all of these reasons, and for each of these reasons alone, it is the position of the CRA that the Organization’s registration should be revoked.

The notice of intention to revoke and other letters relating to the grounds for revocation are available to the public on request by calling 1-800-267-2384.

A charity that has had its charitable status revoked can no longer issue donation receipts for income tax purposes and is no longer a qualified donee under the Income Tax Act. The organization is no longer exempt from income tax, unless it qualifies as a non-profit organization, and it may be subject to a tax equal to the full value of its remaining assets.

The vast majority of Canadians and registered charities are honest and comply with the law. However, there are also those individuals and organizations who seek to exploit the generous tax incentives the government has put in place to support charitable giving. The CRA audits registered charities to ensure they are compliant with the law. The CRA takes fraud seriously. Where fraud is discovered, those participating will face serious consequences which may include criminal charges, monetary penalties and the revocation of charitable status. Where non-compliance is not fraudulent in nature, those participating may still face serious consequences including monetary penalties or the suspension or revocation of charitable status.

For more information about the registration of Canadian charities, go to the CRA’s Charities and Giving Web page at www.cra.gc.ca/charities.

• TIPS (Tax Information Phone Service) 1-800-267-6999

This automated phone service provides information to individuals and businesses.

• Individual income tax enquiries 1-800-959-8281

Tax information for individuals, including personal income tax returns, instalments, RRSPs, and the Working Income Tax Benefit.

• Telerefund 1-800-959-1956

This automated phone service provides information about your income tax refund.

• Businesses and self-employed individuals 1-800-959-5525

Business and GST/HST registration, payroll, GST/HST(including rebates such as the new housing rebates), excise taxes and other levies, excise duties, corporations, sole proprietorships and partnerships.

• Universal Child Care Benefit, Canada Child Tax Benefit 1-800-387-1193

UCCB, CCTB and related provincial and territorial programs, child disability benefit and children’s special allowances.

• GST/HST credit for Individuals 1-800-959-1953

GST/HST credit and related provincial and territorial programs.

• Forms and publications 1-800-959-2221

Order publications online or download from the CRA site. You can also use the toll free number to order.

• International Tax Services Office

Individuals 1-800-267-5177

Non-resident corporations 1-800-561-7761 Ext.9144

Non-resident trusts 1-800-561-7761 Ext. 9155

Part XIII tax and Non-resident withholding accounts 1-800-267-3395

• Payment arrangements(income tax) 1-888-863-8657

Discuss income tax payment arrangements with an agent.

• Payment arrangements 1-866-864-5823

To discuss payment arrangements for debts owing to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, such as defaulted Canada Student loans, Employment Insurance overpayments, Employment Programs overpayments and Canada Pension Plan overpayments.

• TTY (Teletypewriter) 1-800-665-0354

For enquiries from persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have a speech impairment.

• Charities Client Assistance 1-800-267-2384

Get information about registered charities.

For more information, please go to Canada Revenue Agency/contact

Cash and near cash gifts or awards are always a taxable benefit to the employee. Non cash gifts or non cash awards, on the other hand, may not be considered a taxable benefit under certain circumstances.

A gift has to be for a special occasion such as a religious holiday, a birthday, a wedding, or the birth of a child.

An award has to be for an employment-related accomplishment such as long or outstanding service, employees’ suggestions, or meeting or exceeding safety standards. An award cannot be performance-related.

If you give your employee a non-cash gift or award for any other reason, this policy does not apply and you have to include the fair market value of the gift or award in the employee’s income. As well, certain kinds of gifts and awards are not eligible, such as cash. For more information, go to Gifts and awards outside this policy.

If you give an item that is the result of a prize draw, or is given by or through your company’s social committee, go to Gifts and awards given through prize draws and social committees.

The gifts and awards policy does not apply to non-arm’s length employees, such as your relatives, shareholders, or people related to them.

Payroll deductions

Where the benefit is taxable, it is also pensionable. Deduct CPP contributions and income tax.

If the taxable benefit is paid in cash, it is insurable— deduct EI premiums. If it is a non-cash benefit, it is not insurable—do not deduct EI premiums. For EI purposes only, near-cash taxable benefits are treated the same as non-cash taxable benefits. Therefore, they are not insurable. Do not deduct EI premiums.

Reporting the benefit

Include the taxable gift, award or social event on a T4 slip in box 14, “Employment income” and in the “Other information” area under code 40 at the bottom of the employee’s slip. For more information, see T4 – Information for employers.

Examples

To see how this policy works, go to Example for 2010 and later years.

For more information, please go to Canada Revenue Agency website.

When charitable status is revoked, an organization can no longer issue official tax receipts for the donations it receives and is no longer a qualified donee under the Income Tax Act. The organization is no longer exempt from income tax, unless it qualifies as a non-profit organization, and it may be subject to a tax equal to the full value of its remaining assets.

The CRA publishes the names of charities that lose their charitable status on its Web site, so that potential donors are aware that the charities can no longer issue tax receipts. The notice of intent to revoke and other letters relating to the grounds for revocation are available to the public on request by calling 1-800-267-2384.

The CRA Charities Listings, available at www.cra.gc.ca/donors allows donors to search for any charity to view its annual information returns and verify that the charity they wish to donate to is registered. Visitors to the site can also find information on how the CRA regulates charities and tips for donating wisely.

The HST rate in Ontario will be 13% of which 5% will represent the federal part and 8% the provincial part.

The HST rate in British Columbia will be 12% of which 5% will represent the federal part and 7% the provincial part.

For more information, please refer to the information sheet issued by Canada Revenue Agency about

“Transition to the Harmonized Sales Tax – Continuous Supplies and Budget Payment Arrangements” and

“harmonized Sales Tax: Purchasers of New housing in Ontario“.

We are extremely proud of the relationships we have with our customers. By participating in this and other charity events, we hope to show our community involvement and gratitude to our customers.

For more information on the tournament and how you can register next year, visit Jim Stonehouse Memorial Golf Tournament

The Government of Canada recognizes that there was some genuine confusion about the rules for the TFSA in the first year and understands that it may take time for some Canadians to learn about the program and for some financial institutions to properly inform their clients about this product.

The Government of Canada confirms that for the 2009 filing year, the first year of the program, they have taken the decision to be as flexible as possible in cases where a genuine misunderstanding of the TFSA contribution rules occurred. Their intention is to review each situation on a case-by-case basis and, where appropriate, waive taxes on excess contributions for this year.

For instance, individuals who used their TFSA as a regular banking account in 2009, making deposits and withdrawals on a frequent basis, or who have transferred funds between TFSAs at different institutions, but whose net contributions never exceeded the 2009 limit of $5000, may not be required to pay the tax on excess contributions for this year.

Of the nearly 4.7 million Canadians who have a TFSA, less than 2% (70,000) have recently received a letter from the Canada Revenue Agency asking to provide further information about their accounts before June 30, 2010. The Government of Canada have decided to extend this deadline from June 30 to August 3, 2010, to allow ample time for Canadians to provide the necessary information about their accounts.

If you received a TFSA return letter:

• You are encouraged to respond to the CRA letter by providing additional information or explanations that you may have in respect of your over-contributions.
• If no additional information is provided or you do not contact the CRA, a notice of assessment will be issued. Only at that time should you use the request for taxpayer relief form or a formal notice of objection.

If you have questions about your TFSA, you can contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281 or visit CRA’s Web site at: www.cra-arc.gc.ca.