SEVEN WAY S BUDGET HITS YOUR WALLET

1 SIN TAXES

You’ll be paying more for both booze and cigarettes thanks to some small increases in tax on alcohol and tobacco. The tax on beer, wine and liquor is going up immediately by two per cent but will rise with the cost of inflation each and every year. The excise duty on a carton of cigarettes jumps from $21.03 to $21.56.

2 TRANSIT TAX CREDIT

Budget 2017 ends the public transit tax credit that allowed commuters to claim a nonrefundable tax credit equal to 15 per cent of the cost of their bus or transit passes.

3 FERTILITY TREATMENTS

Budget 2017 clarifies the medical expense tax credit so that same-sex couples and single people can now claim a credit for expenses related to fertility treatments or the equivalent.

4 CAREGIVER CREDIT

As part of a push to streamline the system, Budget 2017 replaces the existing Caregiver Credit, the Dependant Credit and the Family Caregiver Tax Credit with what will now be called the Canada Caregiver Credit.

5 STUDENT LOANS

The Canada Student Loans is broadened and expanded. Parttime students will get financial assistance as will students who are parents. And a pilot project will be set up to allow adult workers to get a grant to go back to school.

6 TAXING TOURISTS

Non-residents and nonresident tour operators used to be able to get a GST/HST rebate for accommodation. That rebate will be repealed.

7 UBER

The federal government says it is levelling the playing field for taxi services competing with ride-sharing services like Uber by forcing Uber and others to pay GST and HST just like cab companies do.