Canadian Payroll Reporter

3 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2017 News in Brief A look at news, facts and figures shaping the world of payroll professionals CRA issues tax updates for Saskatchewan, P.E.I. › OTTAWA — The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has published updated payroll deduction tables and computer formulas that incorporate July 1 tax changes in Saskatchewan and Prince Ed- ward Island. In this year's Saskatchewan budget, the provincial government announced that it would lower the rates for all three of its personal income tax brackets by a half point on July 1 to 10.5 per cent, 12.5 per cent, and 14.5 per cent, respectively. The rates will go down by another half point on July 1, 2019, to 10 per cent, 12 per cent, and 14 per cent. Additionally, the P.E.I. government has increased the basic personal amount that employees claim on a provincial Personal Tax Credits Return (TD1PE). In this year's provincial budget, the government announced that the amount would rise from $8,000 to $8,160 for 2017. With the CRA implementing the change on July 1, it has prorated the basic personal amount to $8,320 for the remainder of the year for all employers except those who use its Option 2 for tax calculations. The P.E.I. government has also increased the spouse and equivalent-to-spouse amounts from $6,795 to $6,931. The CRA has updated the TD1PE form to incorporate the changes. Marketing, ad execs against open salary policies: Survey › TORONTO — A majority of advertising and marketing executives say they do not think pro- fessionals' pay should be made public, new re- search finds. A survey by staffing firm The Creative Group found that 82 per cent of those polled said their organization refrains from publicizing employees' compensation. Moreover, 61 per cent said pay transparency would decrease staff morale. The survey polled approximately 200 marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees, and 200 advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees. When asked about the benefits of an open salary policy, where every employee knows what other employees earn, respondents cited increased productivity (18 per cent), boosting recruitment and retention (17 per cent), helping to close the wage gap (16 per cent) and creating an atmosphere of trust (15 per cent). However, more than one-quarter of executives (27 per cent) said there were no benefits, with potential risks outweighing any rewards. The survey found open salary policies most common at companies with 500 to 999 employees, and least common at large advertising agencies with 100 or more employees. Special tax measures to aid Quebec flood victims › QUEBEC CITY — Revenu Québec has an- nounced special measures to help individuals and businesses in the province affected by re- cent flooding. It will cancel all interest or penalties charged to taxpayers who are unable to meet their tax obligations by the regular deadlines due to the flooding. This includes filing an income tax, consumption tax or source deductions return, paying the balance due on a return or making an instalment payment. Revenu Québec says the measures will remain in effect for as long as the flooding prevents taxpayers from meeting their tax obligations. see FEDS page 8

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