Minister also highlights Economic Action Plan 2015 investment to expand Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Underground Economy Specialist Teams
April 28, 2015 Ottawa Canada 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.
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Rebecca Rogers
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Revenue
613-995-2960
Philippe Brideau
Media Relations
Canada Revenue Agency
613-941-6269
