Study
| EST. READ TIME 1 MIN.58% of Canadians believe personal income tax rates should not exceed 50%
A Poll of Canadians on the Fair Share of Taxes
Summary
- A current narrative, echoed by the federal government, is that the “rich” don’t pay their fair share of taxes. To test this notion, Leger Marketing conducted a poll on behalf of the Fraser Institute to solicit the opinions of Canadians on appropriate personal income tax rates and tax fairness.
- Current top marginal personal income tax rates on personal income are greater than 47% in all provinces, and exceed 50% in all but two provinces.
- Half of Canadians (50%) surveyed felt that the highest personal income tax rate charged on an extra $100 of income should be 20% or less. More than three quarters (78%) believed the tax rate should not exceed 50%.
- The majority (70%) of respondents believed that some Canadians don’t pay their fair share of taxes, but only 35% thought that high-income earners should pay more in taxes.
- Roughly half (49%) of surveyed Canadians felt that the highest marginal personal income tax rate levied on the top 20% of income-earning households should be at or below 45%; 58% of respondents said that top tax rates should not exceed 50%.
- Results from the survey demonstrate that only a minority of Canadians want high-income earners to pay more in total taxes, suggesting a discrepancy between current tax policy and Canadians’ taxation preferences.
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Jake Fuss
Director, Fiscal Studies, Fraser Institute
Jake Fuss is Director of Fiscal Studies for the Fraser Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master’s Degree inPublic Policy from the University of Calgary. Mr. Fuss has written commentaries appearing in major Canadian newspapers including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, and National Post. His research covers a wide range of policy issues including government spending, debt, taxation, labour policy, and charitable giving.… Read more Read Less… -
Grady Munro
Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
Grady Munro is a Policy Analyst at the Fraser Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from MacalesterCollege in Minnesota, and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy at the University of Calgary. Mr. Munro’s commentaries have appeared in major Canadian newspapers including the Globe and Mail, Financial Post, and Toronto Sun. His research focuses on government spending, debt, and taxation.… Read more Read Less…
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