Corporate income tax changes
Corporate income tax balances and instalment payments will be deferred from March 19 until August 31, 2020 to increase employers’ access to cash so they can pay employees, address debts and continue operations.
Education property tax deferral
- Education property tax rates will be frozen at last year’s level – reversing the 3.4% population and inflation increase added in Budget 2020.
- Collection of non-residential education property tax for businesses will be deferred for 6 months.
- Municipalities are expected to set education property tax rates as they normally would, but defer collection.
- Deferred amounts will be repaid in future tax years.
- Commercial landlords are encouraged to pass savings on to their tenants through reduced or deferred payments to help employers pay their employees and stay in business.
- Businesses capable of paying their taxes in full are encouraged to do to so. This will assist the province in supporting Albertans through the pandemic.
WCB premium payment deferral
- Small, medium and large private sector employers can defer WCB premium payments until 2021.
- For small and medium businesses, the government will cover 50% of the 2020 premium when it is due in 2021 – saving businesses $350 million.
- Large employers will have their 2020 WCB premium payments deferred until 2021, at which time their premiums will be due.
- Employers who have already paid WCB premiums in 2020 are eligible for a rebate or credit.
Utility payment deferral
- Residential, farm and small commercial customers can defer electricity and natural gas bill payments for the next 90 days to ensure no one will be cut off, regardless of the service provider.
- This program is available to Albertans who are experiencing financial hardship as a direct result of COVID-19. For example, those who have lost their employment or had to leave work to take care of an ill family member.
- Call your utility provider directly to arrange for a 90-day deferral on all payments.
Learn more about the 90-day utility payment deferral (PDF, 128 KB)
Resources
- WCB premium relief for employers
- OHS: Respiratory viruses and the workplace
- Employment standards rules
- Business continuity planning (PDF, 319 KB)
- WCB: COVID-19 worker fact sheet (PDF, 57 KB)
- WCB: COVID-19 employer fact sheet (PDF, 70 KB)
- POSTERS: Help Prevent the Spread
All information is from Government web pages: www.alberta.ca and www.canada.ca
