Are taxes really high in canada?

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Leon

The taxes depend on what you make. A few years ago when I was fairly low income, I paid 13.5% tax, 2% employment insurance and 4.2% Canada pension plan.

Now that I am making somewhat better than average, I paid 20.5% tax, 1.3% employment insurance and 3.7% Canada pension plan.

I live in AB and sales tax is only the federal 5%, no provincial added tax.

For those who've said that the health care here is horrible, that is not completely true. I have heard people say they couldn't find a GP. I donÂ´t know where they are looking. I have never had a problem finding a GP. One of my coworkers said he was looking for a GP for 3 or 4 years. I wish I would have known, I would have helped. him. I donÂ´t think he was looking very hard. Sure there are waiting times with specialists but they prioritize. If you have a problem that can wait, you will wait. If you have a serious problem, you get in faster.

Do people go bankrupt over medical bills here, no. Do they go bankrupt if they cant work anymore, sure, happens in every country. If you go from making fairly good money and having fairly good money obligations like mortgage on a nice house, payments off a nice car etc. to losing your health, not being able to work, you will have to downsize your lifestyle immediately or you will lose everything.

Sure you can say you might get better/faster health care in the US if you have insurance but what if you can't afford to buy insurance? Not so good, eh?

old lady

Yes, they are. Aside from income tax, there are taxes on purchases (all purchases - with provincial and federal taxes adding up to 15%) plus property taxes, and a whole list of other taxes. But in return for higher taxes, Canadians have universal health care and other social benefits as well.

Jim B

The highest rate of personal income tax in Canada is 29 percent, and you would have to earn more than $144, 000 a year to get to that rate .

In general the income tax rates in Canada and the USA are similar.

We do pay more taxes to support our national health care system, and other social support programs. but in return we have a better standard of living and lower infant mortatlity rates. People here are not afraid to go to a Doctor, and being sick or badly injured is not going to send you into bankruptcy.

Jim B. Toronto.

Mike W

You loose almost half of what you make to taxes. Medicare is great and all are protected. Housing is high in most major cities. Gas is more expensive in Canada, food and clothing also. Women are nicer in Canada and the beer is better. loll

To the previous poster who bashed our health care system: You would rather have a hefty hospital bill that you are expected to pay ASAP than pay it off with tax dollars that have been accumulating over the past couple years? Yes our taxes are higher, but, most of the time, they pay off.

MasterPython

For and average family they are about 45% when you include all taxes like sales tax, gas tax and property tax.

Isabelle

It depends on the provinces but yep very high. At least in Ontario.
-provincial and federal governments- 41 % taxes for top incomes but it starts very low anyway.
15% PST and GST on goods and services.
Accommodation is also very expensive.
I agree with the previous answerer.
As to the usual excuse " healthcare"...Well other countries have better healthcare and people pay less taxes. A lot of people are not covered by health plans ( self-employed etc) so you have to pay for the medecine too. No fixed fee like in the UK for example.
http://health.lifestyle.yahoo.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=16213&news_channel_id=131&channel_id=131

Canada ranks pretty low compared to other countries regarding health care. Lots of people cannot find a family doctor also.

Really sometimes it is scandalous. I know someone who is a diabetic and has to pay thousands of dollars a year for insulin. Life insurance is also a no no..

I worked for a charity to help people in need who could not afford to travel to other provinces (from Newfoundland to British Columbia for ex or even on occasion to the US) to receive specialised treatment. Without help from some philantropists and free seats offered by airlines, many do not have a chance. There is a huge demand actually but unfortunately not every body can be accommodated.

I completely disagree with the first answerer. Wrong ! I also worked for a shelter and people can easily find themselves bankrupt due to illness and inability to work.

One TD..oh .........truth hurts ?

Anony Mouse

Taxes are high. About half of my dad's pay check went to the government. Worked his *** off for years paying his taxes and the government takes literally, almost half of everything he has earned ... it's for the Canadian health care system, which is apparently the "best in the world" according to most Canadians, but according to the World Health Organization, Canada has one of the worst (ranks at number 30). It's no fun when youâ€™re in pain and have to wait over 1 year for surgery, and wait for months and months for an appointmet, and yes, that did happen to my dad. What's really sad, and almost scary to think they've been told this by the CBC, is when I hear Canadians say health care in Canada is "free".

Moved my dad to Arizona where I pay for his health insurance. He gets treatment ASAP when he needs it, and it costs about the same as what he paid in taxes to the Canadian government.

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