Study
| EST. READ TIME 1 MIN.Canadians Celebrate Tax Freedom Day on June 14, 2008
Tax Freedom Day is the day in the year the average Canadian family has earned enough money to pay the taxes imposed on it by the three levels of government: federal, provincial, and local.
- Tax Freedom Day is the day in the year the average Canadian family has earned enough money to pay the taxes imposed on it by the three levels of government: federal, provincial, and local.
- In 2008, Canadians celebrate Tax Freedom Day on June 14. That is, Canadians worked until June 13 to pay the total tax bill imposed on them by all levels of government.
- Tax Freedom Day in 2008 arrives four days earlier than in 2007, when it fell on June 18.
- The latest Tax Freedom Day in Canadian history was in 2005, when it fell on June 25; this is almost two months later than in 1961, the earliest year for which the calculation has been made. Tax Freedom Day decreased to June 23 in 2006 and June 18 in 2007.
- In 2008, the average Canadian family earned $90,678 in income and paid a total of $40,667 in taxes (44.8 percent).
- Tax Freedom Day for each province varies according to the extent of the provincially levied tax burden. The earliest provincial Tax Freedom Day fell on May 28 in Alberta.
- All Canadian provinces experienced earlier Tax Freedom Days in 2008 with Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia experiencing the largest improvements.
-
Milagros Palacios
Director, Addington Centre for Measurement, Fraser InstituteMilagros Palacios is the Director for the Addington Centre for Measurement at the Fraser Institute. She holds a B.S. in IndustrialEngineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and a M.Sc. in Economics from the University of Concepcion, Chile. Ms. Palacios has studied public policy involving taxation, government finances, investment, productivity, labour markets, and charitable giving, for nearly 10 years. Since joining the Institute, Ms. Palacios has authored or coauthored over 70 comprehensive research studies, 70 commentaries and four books. Her recent commentaries have appeared in major Canadian newspapers such as the National Post, Toronto Sun, Windsor Star, and Vancouver Sun.… Read more -
Niels Veldhuis
President, Fraser Institute
Niels Veldhuis serves as President of the Fraser Institute, Canada’s most influential think tank.In his over 20-plus-year career in publicpolicy, Niels has authored six books and more than 50 peer-reviewed studies on a wide range of economic topics. In 2011, he was awarded (along with his co-authors) the prestigious Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award for the best-selling book, The Canadian Century.Highly regarded for his opinions and perspectives on major economic and social issues, Niels appears regularly in the media across Canada and the United States. He has written hundreds of commentaries that have appeared in over 50 newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, Wall Street Journal, National Post, and The Economist.Known for his ability to explain matters of economics and government policy in a down-to-earth and easily understood manner, Niels travels widely across North America. His speaking engagements extend to diverse audiences, including business groups, corporate gatherings, community organizations, and students.Niels has had the privilege of sharing the stage and moderating discussions with prominent business and political leaders from around the world. Notable individuals include Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and BC Premier Gordon Campbell. He has also moderated discussions with distinguished Canadian journalists such as Chantal Herbert, Andrew Coyne, and Rex Murphy, as well as diplomats such as Canada’s Ambassador to China and Israel’s Ambassador to Canada. Niels moderated a discussion between United States Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in 2011 and has facilitated conversations with impactful authors like Mosab Hassan Yousef (author of "Son of Hamas") and Lord Conrad Black.Niels Veldhuis is an alumnus of Simon Fraser University, was one of Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40 by Business in Vancouver in 2010, and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).… Read more