Taxes are payments made to the government that help provide the public goods and services that anyone should be allowed to access, regardless of their ability to pay, such as healthcare, education, national defence, infrastructure, public parks, and elderly benefits. The Canadian tax system is progressive, meaning that higher-income individuals pay a higher percentage of that increased income in taxes. We pay federal and provincial or territorial taxes, each with its own tax rates and brackets.

In this video, we start by looking at Canada’s progressive tax system and what that means for the taxes that we pay. Next, we look at the tax obligations newcomers to Canada face and how those obligations can change. Finally, discuss the actual process for filing your taxes in Canada and what you will need to prepare them.