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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A pr il 21 ,2 02 2 | 6 Ying Yang Chartered Professional Accountant Member of Canadian Tax Foundation (647) 989-1276 Oakville Office: (289) 291-3924 Toronto Offiffice: (647) 255-8049 yy@yangaccounting.ca For an affordable solution to your Business and Individual tax difficulties … Make an Appointment Today for a Free Confidential Consultation CRACRACRACRA PPPPrroblobleems?ms? Individual, Corporati &on & Trust Payrayroll, HST includiudingng Overseas & O& Offffshorshore Tax Issueax Issues Yang Tang Tang Tang ax Resolsolution 79$79 Over 120,000 satisfied custOmers 9 Locations to serve you better Heating & Cooling www.aireonewest.ca UPGRADE TO A HIGH EFFICIENCY CENTRAL AIR CENTRAL AIR DIAGNOSTIC SPECIAL *Call for Details $79$79 * CENTRAL AIR TUNE-UP SPECIAL *Call for Details $99$99 * OAKVILLE 905-849-4998 1-888-827-2665 UPGRADE TO A HIGH EFFICIENCY SYSTEM AIRE ONE HEATING & COOLINGAIRE ONE HEATING & COOLING & RECEIVE WAS $3899 * *Call for Details 10 Year Factory Warranty $5600$5600 10 Year Factory Warranty $2899$2899Startingfrom * *Call for Details $79 /MONTH OAC* $39 /MONTH OAC* 96% EFF. Oakville MP Anita Anand says the 2022 federal budget does plenty to deal with key issues residents care about -- namely housing affordability, small businesses and the environment. The defence minister noted that the fed- eral government pledged on Thursday, April 7 to spend $10 billion to tackle the housing crisis currently gripping the country. The funds are intended to speed up home construction and repairs through a number of measures including incentiviz- ing cities to build more homes and denser neighbourhoods. The federal government also an- nounced the Tax-Free First Home Savings Account, which Anand said functions like an RRSP. Contributions, she said, would be tax deductible and withdrawals to purchase a first home -- including investment income -- would be non-taxable. Anand said this account has the poten- tial of saving first time home buyers up to $40,000. "The budget also proposes to double the first-time home buyers tax credit amount to $10,000, which would provide up to $1,500 in direct support to home buyers," said Anand. "Essentially this makes housing more affordable for the people of Oakville and people across the country." The federal government also plans to enact restrictions that would prohibit for- eign commercial enterprises and people who are not Canadian citizens or perma- nent residents from acquiring nonrecre- ational, residential property in Canada for a period of two years. Anand called small businesses the backbone of the local economy and said the federal government would help them grow by reducing the tax burden they face. To that end, she said the federal govern- ment is proposing to broaden the number of businesses that can benefit from a re- duced tax rate. For the environment, Anand said the government wants to invest $55 million in Parks Canada over the next five years to enhance the Trans Canada Trail network. Anand noted some of that network does run through Oakville. She said $19.6 million will be provided for the government's Fresh Water Action Plan, which will fund cleanup efforts in Lake Ontario and other lakes and rivers across the country. The Incentives for Zero Emission Vehi- cles program, which saves residents up to $5,000 when they purchase a battery-elec- tric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicle, is also being continued. "That has been a very popular program. Electric vehicles are very popular in Oak- ville, and this investment is going to allow more electric vehicles to be more afford- able," said Anand. "We are also going to be implementing more charging stations across Canadian communities. We already have federally funded charging stations on Lakeshore Road, and we will continue to make those types of investments." The budget also set aside $8 billion for defence spending, which Anand said will go toward increasing the capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces, ensuring Canada is stepping up its capabilities and commit- ments to NATO and upgrading the nation's continental defence and Norad initiatives, especially with regard to arctic sovereign- ty. Another $500 million worth of military and non-military aid is being committed to Ukraine as it deals with a full-scale Rus- sian invasion. "We have already committed $100 mil- lion. Our aid is flowing. It is making a dif- ference," said Anand. "We've provided anti-tank weapons sys- tems, rocket launchers, hand grenades, but we will continue to do more for Ukraine given that this is the greatest se- curity threat that the world has seen since the end of the Second World War." Anand said the Ukrainian people in- spire her and noted Canada would stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to pro- tect the stability, sovereignty and security of Ukraine and the rules-based interna- tional order. BUDGET TACKLES MANY KEY ISSUES: MP DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com NEWS Minister of National Defence and Oakville MP Anita Anand inspects members of the Canadian Armed Forces. DND photo