Commodity Tax and the Environment: Using Sales Tax to Save the World |
 | While political wrangling over Canadas commitment to Kyoto has raised environmental awareness in recent years, the average Canadian taxpayer might be surprised to learn that commodity tax plays an important role in the implementation of many environmental initiatives. This session focuses on federal and provincial commodity tax legislation which has been designed to encourage Canadian taxpayers to make sound environmental choices. An overview of the environmental levies and industry stewardship programs currently in place throughout Canada are provided, as well as an in-depth look at many of the exemption and rebate programs that have been introduced in each jurisdiction under the auspice of promoting environmental change. Examples include: tire taxes and other environmental levies; sales tax exemptions and rebates for hybrid electric vehicles and equipment used to generate renewable energy; and fuel tax relief for alternative fuels, including natural gas, propane, hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel. The primary objective of the session is to explain how environmentally friendly legislation and administrative practices apply to situations frequently encountered by Canadian organizations. Also addressed is the blurring line between commodity taxes and mandatory service fees and comment on the effectiveness of using sales tax to meet environmental objectives. After reviewing this session, you will be able to identify the commodity tax incentives available to organizations making environmentally beneficial decisions and understand the impact of these programs on your organization and the environment. |
2007 Commodity Tax Symposium, October 1-3, 2007, ON Audio synchronized to PowerPoint presentation: 54 slides, length 01:10:24 Technical Paper: 51 pages |
