On April 27, 2020, CARP’s Chief Policy Officer, Marissa Lennox and Chief Membership & Benefits Officer, Jana Ray met with The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board of Canada.
With the goal of having an earnest and honest discussion about the financial struggles faced by seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic, CARP presented a list of asks that would signal a commitment by the federal government to prioritize seniors’ needs in a time of unprecedented uncertainty.
Topics covered included:
- RRIF reform: we urged the government to waive mandatory RRIF withdrawals in 2020. View the campaign page
- RRSPs: For the 2020 tax year, we asked the government to eliminate withholding tax on RRSP withdrawals and allow two years to repay tax owing.
- OAS and CPP: The Liberal Party promised to increase OAS and CPP. We urged them to get it done faster.
- $9 million in funding to United Way: We sought clarification on how our Members will see the benefits of this funding.
- Supports for seniors and other low income individuals to file taxes: The Canadian Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) supports a lot of seniors and low income individuals in preparing their returns, but the COVID 19 pandemic has forced the organizations and those providing these services to close their doors until June 30. CARP urged the government to find alternative solutions for those who depend on this important service.
This is just one in an ongoing series of conversations CARP will be having with key players in government—the ones who are accountable to our Members. We’ll make sure they keep seniors front of mind when making the decisions that will guide us through the coming months and beyond.
Read more about CARP’s work on financial supports for seniors during COVID-19
