After 5-year struggle, PBO to get data needed to measure cost of tax avoidance
OTTAWA — After a five-year battle with the Canada Revenue Agency, the parliamentary budget office is finally being promised the data needed to evaluate the amount of revenue Ottawa loses each year due to offshore tax havens and other tax avoidance schemes.
The budget office has been demanding the data since December 2017 and has even threatened court action to get it. But, until now, the agency has refused to provide it, citing confidentiality of tax records.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that a deal has finally been struck between the agency and the budget officer.
“An agreement has been concluded with the parliamentary budget officer and will provide this data in a way that will ensure the protection of personal information of Canadians by the end of the month,” he told the House of Commons.