The higher revenues primarily reflect higher
employment insurance premium revenues in the short term and increased personal income tax revenues in the last two years of the forecast period.
In addition, the New Deomcratics do not include the various initiatives affecting Employment Insurance Benefits as a Use of Funds and the freezing
of Employment Insurance premium rates at $ 1.88 per $ 100 of insurable earnings rather than letting them fall to $ 1.49, as specified in the April 2015 Budget, as a Source of Funds.
Hunter countered by saying the introduction of the ORPP on Jan. 1 2017 coincides with the expected reduction
in Employment Insurance premiums by the federal government.
Second, even the small amount in the «cookie jar» would not exist if the Finance Department had not continued to use higher - than -
required employment insurance premiums to help generate the budgetary surpluses in 2015 - 16 and 2016 - 17.
Flaherty said Thursday he will
raise Employment Insurance premiums paid by workers and employers on Jan. 1 but, under pressure from business and labour, he says the increase will be only one - third of what he planned in the March 2010 budget.
In this case, the Court of Appeal overturned an order by Justice Scott K. Campbell of the Superior Court of Justice who had applied the well - known Weber principle, and determined that the essential character of the claim was the employer's alleged misappropriation of, or failure to account for,
employment insurance premiums belonging to its employees.
Commencing in 2017, the government will implement the seven - year break -
even Employment Insurance premium rate - setting mechanism, which will ensure that EI premiums are no higher than needed to pay for the EI program over time.
With new and increased benefits, the government also
said employment insurance premiums would increase slightly next year, to $ 1.69 per $ 100 of insurable earnings in 2018, up from $ 1.63 in 2017.
This does not necessarily mean that low oil prices would guarantee a deficit, a government committed to balancing the books can ensure surpluses through spending deferrals or further raiding
of Employment Insurance premiums, though those create their own problems.
The deterioration in the deficit primarily resulted from lower corporate income tax revenues, down 16.3 % (in part reflecting higher refunds), lower GST revenues, down 7.6 %,
lower employment insurance premiums, down 12.5 % (reflecting a decline in EI rates effective January 2017), and higher other transfers and subsidies, up 38.0 % (reflecting the timing of payments related to recent budget proposals).
While a hike
in Employment Insurance premiums was expected, the Government is maintaining a freeze of premium rate at $ 1.73 per $ 100 of insurable earnings to the end of 2010.
Employment insurance premium revenues declined by $ 945 million (4.1 %), attributable to the decline in premium rates in 2017, from $ 1.88 per $ 100 of insurable earnings in 2016 to $ 1.63 in 2017 (employee rate).
This decline appears to be attributable to final adjustments with respect to taxation year 2011
for employment insurance premiums, Canada Pension Plan premiums and tax transfers to the provinces.
Plus, as a result of previously passed measures, automatic tax increases are scheduled in the years ahead — such as an extra $ 5 billion in
Employment Insurance premiums to be collected annually until 2015.
Nearly two - thirds of the increase in budgetary revenues was attributable to higher personal income tax revenues, with the remainder largely due to higher sales and excise tax revenues and
employment insurance premiums.
Budgetary revenues are over $ 7 billion lower than forecast in the March 2012 Budget, with all major components with the exception of
employment insurance premiums (EI) are lower.
The Department of Finance originally estimated the impact of freezing
the employment insurance premium rates for 2009 and 2010 at $ 2.4 billion.
A far bigger move is being championed by interim Liberal leader Bob Rae — encourage hiring, and forgo $ 1.2 billion in federal revenues, by cancelling the scheduled Jan. 1, 2012, increase in
Employment Insurance premiums.
As well, Flaherty cut in half
an Employment Insurance premium hike scheduled for Jan. 1, a move that will cost Ottawa $ 600 million a year, but will leave that cash in the pockets of workers and companies — a shift from deficit - shrinking austerity to stimulus.
However, the criteria that must be followed in the setting
the employment insurance premium rates leaves virtually no room for discretion in either case.
Employment insurance premiums are going up five cents to $ 1.68 per every $ 100 of insurable earnings, up from $ 1.63 — the maximum allowable increase under the Employment Insurance Act.
The CEIFB is a Crown corporation, announced in Budget 2008, to make recommendations to the Government on
the employment insurance premium rates.
Stephen Gordon is also participating, and the inaugural post is by WCI regular Kevin Milligan, on hikes to
Employment Insurance premiums.
Of the $ 3.2 billion year - over-year improvement, budgetary revenues were up by $ 3.9 billion, primarily due to higher personal income tax revenues (up $ 3.4 billion, reflecting increases in employment and average wages) and
employment insurance premiums (up $ 1.6 billion reflecting higher premium rates and an increase in maximum insurable earnings).
In addition to their own business and personal taxes, governments require business owners to collect and remit all sorts of taxes to benefit society and employees, including sales taxes, CPP and
Employment Insurance premiums and environmental levies.
In contrast, corporate income tax revenues were $ 0.3 billion lower and
employment insurance premium revenues were $ 0.2 billion lower.