Certainly.
Bill C-294 amends the Income Tax Act to exclude certain allowances from the computation of a taxpayer’s income from an office or employment if those allowances are paid to the taxpayer by a not-for-profit organization in connection with its operation of a sports team or a sports or recreation program for persons under 21 years of age of which the taxpayer is a member or participant. This motion: • provides that the exemption applies only in respect of board and lodging of the taxpayer; • reduces the monthly maximum exemption to $300 and clarifies that it applies only during the months in which the taxpayer is registered with, or participates in activities of, the organization; • utilizes the appropriate legislative references for non-profit organizations and inflation indexing; • clarifies that the exemption applies in respect of the participation or membership of a taxpayer (e.g. of an athlete or performer), and not to amounts received by a taxpayer as a coach, trainer, etc. in respect of their services; and • provides that the Bill comes into force for taxation years that end after the Bill is assented to. The maximum allowance is constrained to $300 in recognition that allowances for food and lodging are generally considered taxable benefits in other employment categories.
The intent of the amendment, Mr. Chair, is to tighten the bill up and to restrict the scope of the bill to its intended purpose.