Message from the Executive Director – CBTU Workforce Mobility Tax Deduction
January 31, 2022
To view the original update from Canada’s Building Trades Unions click here.
Neil Young has chosen to not keep on rocking the Spotify world, in a stand against the spread of COVID-19 misinformation by a popular podcast host on the streaming service; Prime Minister Trudeau is in isolation; and hundreds of truckers have formed a cross-country anti-vax convoy scheduled to roll into Ottawa this weekend.
Despite the overwhelming evidence of the efficacy of vaccines, unfortunately some in our society continue to believe in misinformation and half-truths. One only needs to look at the public health dashboards in each province to learn that the majority of our ICU beds are filled with the unvaccinated.
I strongly reiterate and encourage everyone to get vaccinated. It’s not too late, even for your first shot. Please visit FasterTogether.ca to learn more.
CBTU Executive Director met with Members of Parliament Francisco Sorbara and Peter Fonseca (Chair of FINA the Standing Committee on Finance) to talk about the need to include a skilled trades workforce mobility tax deduction in Budget 2022.
Ottawa is about to get busier next week as Parliamentarians return from their “holiday” break. CBTU has a number of priorities on our agenda with the number one priority to secure tax fairness for skilled trades workers– in the form of a tax deduction for costs associated with traveling for work.
Deputy Prime Minister Freeland and Minister of Labour O’Regan both have this issue outlined in their mandate letters – which is an important step forward. However, the work isn’t done. We are pushing hard to have this deduction included in the 2022 Budget. And we need your help to get it done!
Go to the CBTU website to send a letter, share the link and ask your fellow members, friends and family to send a letter to get tax fairness for Skilled Trades Workers now.
For CBTU, our provincial councils and affiliates, the work picture is quite robust with some pockets of work shortages (which is a concern). Nonetheless, the immediate and long-term forecast for our industry is quite strong. We, however, are always faced with challenges on the horizon including Bill 32 in Alberta. Just before Christmas the Alberta government enacted regulation 26.1 which is a direct attack on organized labour.
At a recent meeting, the Canadian Executive Board strongly endorsed a recommendation that CBTU do whatever it can to help repeal this regressive legislation. Stay tuned for more details as this issue unfolds and we determine the calls to action.
Sean Strickland
Exec. Director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions
