Office of the Official Opposition
For Immediate Release

St. John's, NL (December 17, 2020) – Craig Pardy, PC Opposition Critic for Education and MHA for Bonavista, is calling on Government to step up and correct an injustice with respect to workers who participated in the province’s essential worker child care program.

Pardy was responding to a news release informing people that Government would now be treating this program as a taxable benefit. The MHA noted that the Government’s own Question and Answer document from April 14, 2020 was clear:

Q: Is the $200 taxable either upfront or when the 2020 tax season is upon us? The $200 is not taxable up front or on your 2020 tax return. You also cannot claim the $200 per week receipt as a deduction on your 2020 tax return.

“This is a disgrace. Essential workers were clearly told that this benefit would not be treated as a taxable benefit. Now Government is scrambling to collect personal information from 750 families to issue T4’s. Even this process has been confusing with mixed messages on whether it could be emailed or collected over the phone.”

“Either Government did not have their homework done like the bussing mess in September or they deliberately mislead people. Either way, now people are left with a significant tax bill! Government needs to step up, stop blaming the federal government, and make it right!” ended Pardy.

Contacts:

Bradley Russell

Director of Communications and Digital Strategy

(p) 1.709.729.3668

BradleyRussell@gov.nl.ca

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