Minister Findlay Teams Up With Industry Leaders to Tackle the Underground Economy

OTTAWA, CANADA--(Marketwired - April 28, 2015) - Revenue Agency (CRA)

The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.P., M.P., Minister of National Revenue, met with members of the Underground Economy Advisory Committee yesterday on actions and opportunities for collaboration to tackle the underground economy (UE) across the country.

The Minister also highlighted the Government's commitment through Economic Action Plan 2015 to invest $118.2 million over five years to enhance the CRA's audit capacity by expanding its Underground Economy Specialist Teams.

These new specialist teams will use advanced data analysis to identify and adopt new approaches to combat the underground economy. Working with provincial colleagues, the teams will target UE activity in high risk sectors of the Canadian economy.

The Minister's Underground Economy Advisory Committee is an important partner in advising Minister Findlay on the CRA's broader three-year strategy, Reducing Participation in the Underground Economy, announced in November 2014. The strategy focuses on reducing the UE in Canada through three approaches: research and analysis to better understand the nature of the underground economy in Canada; awareness activities to communicate the costs and reduce the social acceptability of participation in the UE; and compliance initiatives to deter and detect those who are participating in the UE.

The Committee is comprised of representatives from key industry sectors and academia. The committee, the first of its kind in Canada, was created by Minister Findlay to provide an industry perspective and input to the Minister and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on the government's ongoing efforts to combat the underground economy, particularly in higher-risk sectors of the economy.

If left unchallenged, the underground economy costs jobs, erodes the integrity of Canada's tax system and undermines the competitiveness of honest businesses, especially small businesses, which play by the rules. Combatting the underground economy requires a collaborative approach between all levels of government and the industries directly affected by this problem. Working with provincial, territorial and industry partners to reduce the UE in Canada is a Government of Canada priority.

Quick Facts

• Statistics Canada estimated the value of the underground economy activity in Canada at 2.3% of the GDP in 2011. Revised and updated estimates are expected to be released by Statistics Canada later this month.

• The Minister's Underground Economy Advisory Committee meets regularly and includes representatives from the following organizations:
  • Canadian Home Builders' Association
  • Canadian Federation of Independent Business
  • Canadian Payroll Association
  • Canadian Chamber of Commerce
  • Merit Contractors Association
  • Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
  • Retail Council of Canada
  • Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
  • Restaurants Canada

• In January 2014, significant new monetary penalties and criminal offences introduced by the Government came into effect. These measures target the illegal use of electronic suppression of sales software by some businesses to hide their sales and evade the payment of sales and income tax.

• In 2013-14, the CRA conducted 1,213 underground economy outreach visits and audited 7,971 underground economy files.

• In March 2015, Minister Findlay announced that this Government is providing approximately $745,000 over the next three years to support the Canadian Home Builders' Association's (CHBA) Get it in Writing! campaign, which helps to raise awareness among consumers of the risks and consequences of doing construction work and home renovations under the table.

• The Government of Canada is engaging with provinces and territories on the UE. On March 10, 2015, CRA officials met with officials from the BC Ministry of Finance and key industry representatives from the province to share information, ideas, and best practices. A similar roundtable was held in New Brunswick on November 21, 2014. The Ontario Ministry of Finance led a UE roundtable with participation by the CRA and other interested parties on March 25, 2015.

Quote

"Economic Action Plan 2015 demonstrates our Government's strong commitment to combat the UE with its proposed investment of $118.2 million, over five years, to expand the Canada Revenue Agency's Underground Economy Specialist Teams. People who think they won't get caught when they participate in the underground economy should think again."

In a highly competitive marketplace, honest entrepreneurs should not have to worry about the unlawful practices of those working under the table, which directly undermine their ability to grow and create jobs. Members of the Underground Economy Advisory Committee have been instrumental in sharing their first-hand experience with the costs the UE imposes on honest businesses and their insights into how to effectively address the problem. I look forward to continuing to work with them."

The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., M.P., Minister of National Revenue

Related Products

Reducing Participation in the Underground Economy: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/lrt/strtgy-eng.html

Associated Links

www.cra.gc.ca/undergroundeconomy

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