Essex MP cautiously optimistic Bill C241 could soon become law
The member of parliament from Essex is cautiously optimistic his bill to provide a travel expense deduction for tradespeople will soon become law.
The private member's bill from Conservative MP Chris Lewis proposes to amend Canada's Income Tax Act to allow a tax deduction for travel and temporary relocation expenses for eligible tradespeople and apprentices who have to travel for a construction job at a site located at least 120 km away from their primary residence.
Bill C-241 would build on an existing limited labour mobility deduction for tradespeople that includes coverage for certain transportation, meals and temporary lodging costs for travelling to work sites.
The bill is just four pages in its entirety, and has made its way to the final stage of consideration in the Senate less than a year after it was first introduced in the House.
Essex Conservative MP Chris Lewis speaks in the House of Commons in Ottawa. (Photo courtesy of Chris Lewis)
Lewis says right before Christmas he did present the bill to the Finance Committee at the Senate, and senators approved it without any amendments.
"So now the bill will go the Senate floor to be debated. Hopefully our skilled trades folks will be able to get mobilized across Canada to start building the homes that we all need. And all the certain infrastructure projects but be compensated along the way, so it's pretty exciting times," he said.
Having moved through the upper chamber without any changes means once senators take it up for debate at third reading, if it stays that way and they vote to pass it, Bill C-241 will become law.
Lewis says this is a really prime example that there are opportunities to work together in politics, and he believes that the majority of senators will recognize this would be a good law.
"This will help our skilled trades, it will get them mobilized across the country, this is a good news story. As I mentioned to the Senators when I was in front of them at our hearing, I really don't care who gets the credit for this. What I do care about is we get our skilled trades the due diligence, the proper respect, and the proper tax deductions that they deserve because quite frankly they're the ones building our country going forward."
As an example, Lewis explained there's upwards of 5,000 to 5,500 working on the Gordie Howe International Bridge and when work there is completed in 2025 about three quarters of those workers will be moving on to find their next big project.
He says if Bill C-241 were to become law, it would allow those workers to write off things like hotels, meals, and travel expenses at the end of the year.
"And there is not cap on this. So the Liberals back in the fall had introduced legislation, and they put in similar legislation, however it's only a $5,000 deduction. The problem is that can be chewed up or eaten up in just a couple of months. I don't want to put a cap on how many hours our skilled trades folks want to work," Lewis said.
Lewis also gave his thanks to Tomi Hulkkonen from the United Brotherhood Of Carpenters & Joiners Local 494, along with Karl Lovett from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 773, saying both have helped immensely with the legislation along the way.
- with files from CTV News