Tax Expenditures in Canada

Hello Austerity readers! This week we are uploading a presentation from David Macdonald, Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) on tax expenditures in Canada. The presentation is based on an analysis on tax expenditures in Canada, which are forms of public spending through the tax system which modify the tax burden of qualifying individuals. David highlights the massive size of this 'shadow transfer system', and rates them on the basis of their distributive impact--where is the benefit of an expenditure concentrated along income deciles? This report speaks to the fact that austerity is not just about cuts, but also involves restructuring the nature or direction of public spending.

You can find the full report on our Research page, and we'll release a video from David on his analysis in the coming weeks. To find out more about the report, you can go to www.policyalternatives.ca/loopholes

To see more from David, follow him @DavidMacCdn. You can learn more about the CCPA at www.policyalternatives.ca

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