Help is here for small business says local MPP Bill Walker

MPP Bill Walker says Ontario’s Government for the People is announcing significant tax relief for small businesses that will help create jobs in his riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and across the province.

By cancelling the previous administration’s proposed tax hikes, this government is saving thousands of small businesses across Ontario up to $40,000 per year. The provincial government will also continue to push the federal government to stop its attacks on small businesses, including its damaging tax changes related to passive income.

“We’re leaving more money in the pockets of business owners, so they can invest and help create jobs here and across our region and province,” said MPP Walker who also serves as Minister of Government and Consumer Services. “Help is here for small businesses who work hard and want to get ahead.”

In addition to maintaining small business tax rates at their current levels, the government is also providing Employer Health Tax relief through an increase in the payroll exemption from $450,000 to $490,000 in 2019. If passed, this would generate $40 million in tax relief for businesses across the province.

The government has further committed to reducing red tape by 25 per cent by 2022. These measures complement the government’s proposed legislation to repeal the job-killing red tape in Bill 148 and maintaining the $14-an-hour minimum wage until 2020 to help businesses adjust, with future increases tied to inflation.

The government is further modernizing the province’s apprenticeship program and winding down the Ontario College of Trades to reduce unnecessary complexity for Ontario’s skilled tradespeople, which is important for Bruce and Grey where skilled workers are increasingly hard to find.