UCPR says protect campground tax break

Owner/operators of small campgrounds in the Prescott-Russell region can count on the United Counties council to stand by them against a clawback proposal concerning their small business tax deduction privilege.

The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) has begun sending out notices to campground owners that their commercial income tax files may undergo reassessment because of an agency policy change dealing with the small business tax deduction. The policy change means some private campgrounds may be classed as “too small” to qualify for the deduction.

The United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) council voted to support a resolution circulating among Ontario municipal governments to support a joint lobbying effort of Camping In Ontario (CIO) with the Canadian Federal of Independent Businesses (CFIB). The CIO represents 440 private commercial campgrounds in the province. Together they are pressing the CRA and the federal finance ministry and the department of small business and tourism to revise the policy so that small private campgrounds are recognized as small businesses and are entitled to the small business deduction on their income tax reports.

A brief states that private camping operations in Ontario represent 15,000 jobs in the province, contribute $1 billion a year to the provincial economy, and generate $294 million in tax revenue to senior governments.

Copies of the resolution will go to the small business and tourism minister and to all Ontario MPs.