Nearly 9 million Canadians have $1.4B in uncashed CRA cheques — could you be one of them?
Good news from the Canada Revenue Agency for a change? Now that’s a treat.
Over the next month, the CRA, Canada’s tax agency, says it will begin sending out reminders to tens of thousands of Canadians to let them know they’ve got money owed to them they haven’t yet claimed.
On Monday, the CRA said it has roughly $1.4 billion worth of uncashed cheques on its books, some of which has been owed as far back as 1998. As of May, 8.9 million Canadians had some sort of uncashed cheque attached to their name. The average amount owed is $158, the tax agency said.
While the CRA handles billions of dollars in taxes and rebates every year, not all of it makes it into the hands of Canadians who are entitled to it, mostly due to people either losing the cheques, or changing addresses, meaning they never received it in the first place.
“We want to make sure this money ends up where it belongs. In taxpayers’ pockets!” the tax agency said.
The CRA said it will soon notify roughly 25,000 recipients of the Canada child benefit and related provincial/territorial programs, GST/HST credit and Alberta Energy Tax Refund if they are owed money, and that another two groups of 25,000 will be notified this November and in May of 2023.
But if you think you may be one of those lucky Canadians, you might want to be a little bit more proactive. Read more
You can check if you have uncashed payments from the Canadian Revenue Agency by logging in to or signing up for an online CRA account. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)
Customers cry foul as Air Canada, WestJet continue to deny certain compensation claims despite new directive
Judging from plenty of anecdotal evidence, flying has been a bit of a headache lately.
Long flight delays and crew shortages have led to mayhem at many Canadian airports.
But a recent Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) decision was supposed to help clear the air on at least once source of frustration: the rules around flight compensation.
When issuing a decision in a WestJet case on July 8, the transport regulator clarified that, in general, airlines can’t deny passengers compensation for flight disruptions caused by crew shortages.
However, the clarification has only ignited fury for some passengers, including Frank Michel, who was denied compensation by Air Canada, and Jennifer Peach, denied by WestJet, due to crew shortages and constraints and safety concerns.
“It’s insulting,” said Michel of Marquis, Sask.
Under federal rules, airlines only have to pay compensation — up to $1,000 per passenger — if the flight disruption is within the airline’s control and not safety-related.
WestJet and Air Canada each declined to comment on individual cases, but both said they abide by federal air passenger regulations. WestJet said that safety is its top priority. Air Canada said airlines shouldn’t be penalized for cancelling flights for safety reasons.
But Michel says the company isn’t playing by the rules.
“CTA has already made it clear that crew constraints is not an acceptable excuse,” he said. “It’s not a safety issue. It’s a management issue. You have to manage your resources.” Read more
Leigh and Frank Michel of Marquis, Sask., were denied compensation by Air Canada after flight disruptions in June left them sleeping on an airport floor. (Frank Michel)
You tip your hairdresser, but what about your mechanic? It might only be a matter of time
You probably tip the person who cuts your hair. Should you do the same for the person fixing your car?
Customers are increasingly seeing a gratuity option on card payment machines in industries where tipping was never previously part of the cost, from auto shops to fast food giants.
The phenomenon, dubbed “tip creep,” is leaving a bad taste for some consumers, who have vented online about being asked if they want to pay an extra 15 per cent or more on top of the price of a takeout pizza, oil change or propane tank refill.
“Tipping is spreading to a lot more places right now, so where we wouldn’t have previously been prompted to tip, now it seems to be a lot more common,” says Simon Pek, an associate professor at the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business who researches tipping practices.
As customers shift away from carrying cash, it’s easier than ever for any business to ask for a little bit of extra money by adding the automatic prompt — what psychologists call a “tip nudge” — to their card payment machine.
Inflation may play a factor, too. Business owners, for example, may see adding a tip button as a way to give in to workers’ demands for higher pay without necessarily affecting their bottom line.
“We’ll still see a lower sticker price, we’ll still buy the product, and then adding 10 to 20 per cent after — it might be frustrating, but people still end up doing it, and that’s often cheaper for a company than having to pay those wages,” said Pek. Read more
With fewer customers carrying cash, companies are shifting away from the traditional tip jar on the counter to add a gratuity option on their card payment machines. Here, a tip jar is pictured at a Vancouver cafe on April 30, 2019. (Jan Zeschky/CBC)
Marketplace is marking its 50th season and you’re invited to celebrate with us! Join us for a live taping in Toronto where you’ll get a sneak peek of our launch episode this fall.There will be prizes and light refreshments available, but tickets are limited. Sign up here
Have you been travelling recently and noticed that your hotel is no longer providing services they used to, like breakfast or daily housekeeping? We’d like to hear about products and services where you think companies are “skimping out.” Email us at marketplace@cbc.ca
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.
The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.
The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.
Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.
Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.
Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.
Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.
Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.
Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.
Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.
Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).
Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.
June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.
Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”
Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.
July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.
Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)
TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.
Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.
The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.
As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.
TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.
TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
