National Defence and the Canadian Forces: "Parking Administration":
http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/dao-doa/1000/1004-1-eng.asp
http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/dao-doa/1000/1004-0-eng.asp
"Parking charges shall be:
■assessed at the market value; and
■waived at defence establishments where no market value can be established"
It's happening with the municipal governments as well. Right now. Only six Civic Centres are affected in Metro Toronto.
eg: Metro Hall ( 2007 ) "Proposed amount of Taxable Benefit": $242.40 per month.
The issue is far from settled. Collective agreements will likely force the city to pick up the costs. That seems to be what other municipalities are doing, from what I was told Monday by a city manager on the phone.
Re: "Canada Revenue Agency Employer Compliance Audit - Parking Access as a Taxable Benefit":
"If you receive your Notice of Reassessment ( from the CRA ), you should hold off taking any action until we provide you with further information following the May11/12 Council meeting."
North York Civic Centre - which is close to the CFRC, and one of the six affected parking lots - is getting dinged for ( 2007 ): $133.32 per month.
"City staff back-taxed for parking":
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/808298--city-staff-back-taxed-for-parking
Story is followed by the usual six pages of nasty comments from the "I pay your salary" types:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/808298#comments
National Post:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=3020936
1995:
"Mayor David Miller accused the CRA of changing the rules mid-game, noting that a 1995 audit of the old City of Toronto resulted in a successful appeal by an employee. The CRA then said that “scramble parking” — when there are more employees than spots — is not taxable.
Now it appears that CRA is interpreting the rules to say that scramble parking is a taxable benefit if it is in “fixed, controlled” setting, city staff said."
"He has personally been told he’ll have to pay the tax. “I don’t own a car, haven’t driven one for 24 years and now they want me to pay for parking,” he said. “If you are going to charge me for it, show me my parking spot and show me my car.” "
“I think it’s kind of unfair since I don’t have a car, never have had a car and never will have a car,” said Frost, who lives downtown and walks or takes the TTC to work."
Canada Revenue Agency CRA "Employer provided parking":
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/txtps/2009/tt090204-eng.html
"There's no such thing as 'free' parking":
http://thestar.blogs.com/yourcitymycity/2010/05/tax-man-eyes-parking-perks-lorenzo-mele--there-is-no-such-thing-as-free-parking-even-if-you-work-at-a-parking-lot/comments/page/2/
"Did You Know: That employer provided parking may be a taxable benefit to employees?":
http://www.cabusinessadvisor.com/DYK/ParkingB.htm
Financial Post:
"FREE PARKING: Traditionally, the CRA has viewed company-provided parking as a taxable benefit. The amount of the benefit is based on the fair market value of the parking, less any amount paid to use the space. But if the car is regularly required for business purposes, say to visit customers or suppliers, CRA won't consider parking a taxable benefit. Their test? You must use the car for work purposes three or more days during a five-day work week. Anything less and you don't want to forget to include parking on your tax return."
Air Canada: "Parking a taxable benefit":
http://www.yyzdistrict301.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/employee_parking_a_taxable_benefit.238104641.pdf
