February 27, 2015
The Durham Region Association of REALTORS® (DRAR) applauds the re-introduction of legislation which will bring fairness to the tax treatment of Ontario REALTORS®.
Introduced by Prince Edward--Hastings MPP Todd Smith, the Tax Fairness for REALTORS® Act, 2015 will allow real estate salespeople to use personal corporations. The bill is being co-sponsored by Liberal MPP Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence).
DRAR is urging its local REALTORS® to visit www.orea.com/cfa to send an email to their MPP in support of the Tax Fairness bill.
The Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA), prevents real estate salespeople from operating their business through a personal real estate corporation (PREC).
Other regulated professions in Ontario, including chartered accountants, lawyers, health professionals, social workers, mortgage brokers, insurance agents, architects and engineers, can all form personal corporations. Since 2008, British Columbia, Québec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia have moved to allow real estate salespeople to incorporate.
PRECs will not cost the provincial treasury revenue and will produce a modest economic benefit. A recent study by the Centre for Spatial Economics (C4SE), found that PRECs would have a positive impact on provincial tax revenue and the economy. Specifically, C4SE’s report found that PRECs would:
· Create between 33-89 net new jobs annually;
· Increase provincial tax revenue by an annual average of $0.8 million to $2 million; and,
· Contribute between $9 to $25 million annually to Ontario’s GDP.
The ability to incorporate would allow a REALTOR®, depending on their level of business income, to save money on their income tax by taking advantage of the lower corporate tax rate. Money saved on taxable income is typically reinvested in the corporation.
To send an email to your MPP in support of the Tax Fairness for REALTORS® Act visit www.orea.com/cfa.
(905) 723-8184
(905) 723-7531
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