Ottawa, Ontario, October 15, 2012... The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, marked Small Business Week today by highlighting the Harper Government’s efforts through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to support small businesses and the important role they play in creating jobs and economic growth.
“It is important that we recognize and celebrate the contribution small businesses make to the Canadian economy and local communities across the country,” said Minister Shea. “Our Government has made relieving the burden on small businesses a priority, and the CRA is constantly working to improve our services to better meet the needs of small businesses.”
In the past few months, Minister Shea has met with many businesses and stakeholders across Canada to discuss red tape reduction and the CRA’s services. Roundtables were held in more than a dozen cities, and the feedback provided by business stakeholders will be used to make further enhancements to the CRA’s services and programs. Here are a few examples of the work the CRA has done so far to reduce the burden placed on businesses:
- As part of its Red Tape Reduction action plan, the CRA has created a dedicated team that is responsible for coordinating and addressing small business issues, including filing, regulatory burden, and barriers to compliance.
- Economic Action Plan 2012 extended the Hiring Credit for Small Business, which helps offset the cost of hiring new employees and will be automatically applied when a qualifying business files its 2012 T4 information return. The CRA will calculate the credit - no added burden for businesses.
- The Group ID feature in Represent a Client lets businesses authorize a group of employees, for example, a payroll department, on a single RC59, Business Consent Form. The administrator of the group, for example the manager of the accounting department, can add or remove employee access without completing more paperwork.
- The new My Business Account Enquiries Service provides businesses, or their representative, with a secure online portal to ask the CRA tax-related questions specific to their account. Businesses then receive answers they can rely on online and in writing, in the Message Centre.
“Information for businesses has to be both easy to understand and accessible,” Minister Shea also explained. “We’ve recently designed a new Web page for online services for businesses and developed videos to provide tax information.”
The CRA understands that businesses have unique tax needs all year long, and will continue to make it easier for businesses work with the CRA. Providing clear and accessible information, further enhancements to online services and ongoing review of our processes will all contribute to cutting red tape.
For more information on all things businesses, go to www.cra.gc.ca/businessonline.
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FOR BROADCAST USE:
The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, today pledged the Harper Government’s ongoing support to small business owners and industry associations in honour of Small Business Week, which occurs this year from October 14 to 20. Businesses spoke, and the CRA listened. The CRA is taking steps to improve many of its services and reduce the red tape burden on small businesses.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Clarke Olsen
Acting Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Revenue
613-995-2960
Noel Carisse
Canada Revenue Agency
Media Relations
613-952-9184
