Conduct a review of tax expenditures.

What success looks like

A simpler, fairer tax system.

Government's narrative on progress

In each of its budgets, the government has made improvements to the tax system—many of which have been informed by the wide-ranging review of federal tax expenditures announced in Budget 2016. This comprehensive review has resulted in the elimination of measures that were found to be ineffective and inefficient. For example, the government has replaced poorly targeted transit tax credits with significant direct long-term investments in public transit, and replaced tax credits for textbooks with measures to significantly improve the affordability of post-secondary education for low- and middle-income families. The review also identified opportunities to crack down on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, and reduce tax benefits that disproportionately helped the wealthiest Canadians. Finally, the review led to measures that made existing tax relief for individuals and families more effective and accessible, including measures to improve tax relief for caregivers, students, and persons with disabilities. As reported in Budget 2019, over the four-year period ending in 2018–19, the tax expenditure review resulted in savings of $3.9 billion, and will lead to estimated savings of more than $3 billion annually starting in 2019–20.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.