Between March and August this year, 42 persons across Ontario have been convicted under key provincial tax statutes – with five of the convictions issued by courts in Durham.
Their combined fines total $17,100, according to a statement issued by the Ontario Finance Ministry yesterday. The provincial Minister of Finance is Peter Bethlenfalvy, Member of Provincial Parliament from Pickering-Uxbrdige.
The offences for which the five were convicted were for making false statements in an application for refund.
“Ontario continues to take strong action against tax non-compliance, with recent convictions highlighting the consequences of evading provincial tax laws. These enforcement efforts help ensure a level playing field for all businesses and taxpayers across the province,” said the statement.
The following individuals and corporations were among the 42 found guilty of offences under the Retail Sales Tax (RST) Act, Land Transfer Tax (LTT) Act and Employer Health Tax (EHT) Act.
Quick Facts:
- Convictions under the various provincial tax acts can result in significant fines as well as jail time.
Businesses convicted of tax offences must repay taxes owing, plus civil negligence penalties and interest, in addition to court-imposed fines and surcharges. - Under the Land Transfer Tax Act, individuals and businesses can be fined for false statements in property transactions, with penalties reaching up to twice the amount of tax that should have been remitted per offence.
- Under the Employer Health Tax Act, individuals and businesses can be fined for failure to file returns and remit taxes, with penalties up to twice the amount of tax that should have been remitted per offence.
- Under the Retail Sales Tax Act, individuals and businesses can be fined for making false statements in transactions involving the private purchase of used vehicles, with penalties up to twice the amount of tax that should have been remitted per offence.
- The Ministry of Finance encourages voluntary compliance through its Voluntary Disclosure Program, allowing individuals and corporations to report past violations and settle outstanding amounts without prosecution.
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