New Canadian Federal Luxury Tax

Most of these politicians have never owned a company and personally felt the pressure that comes with it. They're envious of what they can't achieve themselves so they just take it with legislation.

Another misguided attempt to redistribute wealth. Instead of accomplishing that, they will put people out of work that need the jobs the most.

I consider myself extremely fortunate. I pay my fair share of taxes and then some. I’m not opposed to paying more than those less fortunate but you have to draw the line somewhere. And people often fail to realize that to pay that extra $250k of a luxury tax, you have to earn $500k because you already lost 50% to taxes in the first place. At least in the US, not certain about Canada but I believe tax rates are similar if not higher than the US?

Also, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they applied the 13% HST to the sale price then applied the 10% luxury tax to that total.

When you ignorantly vote your freedoms into the hands of the bottom-of-the-barrel used car selling law school failures....well, you deserve what you get in return.

I don't give a whit about the Canadian Luxury tax one way or the other. It is almost impossible these days to get through the day without someone bringing up a particular political position. Fortunately, this forum is generally an exception. The original post of this thread and several comments are in violation of Forum Guidelines for negative content. The Wooden Boat Forums have a section for this type of content - called the bilge - I suggest Forum Administrators add such a sub-forum.

Yes, let's push any discussion of the potential loss of a boat building industry into the bilge where we don't have to see it...it's just too unpleasant.

Government regulation is an inescapable reality of the boating industry, for manufacturers, buyers, enthusiasts and maritime professionals. The disposition of the respective global governments on the boating industry be it hostile, friendly or indifferent impacts the industry and its people more than any other force. How can any boating forum run from that and/or ignore it?

Canadians should never complain about their leaders, in 1982 the Canadian constitution was created based on social equality and that comes through wealth distribution, because it is happening at an accelerated rate does not change the basic concept.

Getting away from the politics, the US tried luxury taxes and they were a disaster. I'd expect the same in Canada although their boat buyer could be different. What was found on both autos and boats was that buyers who will spend outrageously on lavish accessories, will not spend when a luxury tax is added. Now, Canada may be different as you're already dealing with a high tax on the boat. Maybe Canadian buyers are immune to tax impact. They will find out quickly, as in the US, sales didn't slowly drop but instead plummeted to a standstill. This is the same US buyer who is going crazy on higher priced homes and higher priced boats, but just refused a luxury tax. Had nothing to do with price or affordability, but the label killed it.

We'll soon know if the Canadian buyer responds similarly to the US buyer and to buyers where other luxury taxes that have been tried. The proof of concept is left to the market. Perhaps, the Canadian buyer will prove us all wrong. Won't take long to find out.

Agreed that it won't take long to understand the impacts.

This isn't a left or right bash fest. It's how government rules and regulations can disastrously affect an entire industry. Poorly thought out rules can cut better than any Damascus steel.
I spend a great deal of my time with government employees and local politicians as a part of my occupation. Most are good people with good intentions. They error in how their rules are written and the real world consequences of these rules. It is essential to our survival to explain how they hurt our businesses and a better way to get the desired results. Some listen some don't.

I like the balance in your post. You've hit the key elements. Our government isn't run by experienced businesspersons. They honestly don't grasp the ramifications. They're often not bad people, just ill equipped and don't realize how little of how the world works they really know.

Now this tax isn't one party, and it's not liberal vs. conservative. It's just like the US tax was, an attempt to cut the deficit. In the US, Bush signed it into effect in November 1991 and Clinton signed the repeal on boats in August 1993. The auto tax remained much longer. I believe you could have switched the two Presidents and Clinton would have signed it and Bush repealed it. Advisors recommended it and it was bought. Easy to say we knew it wouldn't work, but did we? I don't know if it will work in Canada or not. Frankly, it surprises me when it a yacht buyer changes their mind over a tax. We'll find out. Perhaps the US buyer is more stubborn than the one in Canada.

All of government is hurt over the lack of experience of lifetime workers and of politicians. It doesn't just apply to business or to yachts. Our leaders don't understand being poor, they don't even do grocery shopping. They don't have kids in public schools generally. They don't grasp the challenge of paying for college. They don't even grasp being laid off jobs except on a fixed calendar where scheduled years in advance. Some do a better job of educating themselves on the problems the general population faces. It all starts early too. Have a group of young people do a household budget and just see the differences.