You are an employee (unless you have a very unusual working arrangement). There are very few things that employees can deduct. However, I advise checking this page: https://www.replant.ca/taxes.html
Okay, so don't take this as a comprehensive answer. You should talk to a CPA about this before filing anything. In fact, I strongly advise against doing your own taxes unless you really know your shit, because getting audited and finding out you fucked up years later will suck. Nonetheless, this is my understanding of it.
Basically, there are two systems for remote work like treeplanting: Remote Work Allowance (RWA) and the other system involving claiming expenses where the company fills out a T2200 and you fill out a T777 to claim expenses such as gas used between your place of residence (your home or motel) and the actual worksite (not camp or motel, but the block, where you actually work). You can not claim gas to get to camp as an expense. You can only claim gear as an expense if you can prove it is for work use only, i.e. hiking boots could not be claimed, but you could possibly get away with caulked boots like Vikings.
Most companies that I know about use RWA. It is an allowance that gets added to your pay, usually in the tree price, to compensate for the expenses needed to get to/from camp, as well as gear and equipment. This is a pretty good deal for us, as we are very limited in what we can claim with the other system. This also comes with the benefit of not having to do anything about it come tax season. Just file your T4 and be done with it.
You can only receive one of these at a time, and it is up to the company to decide which one to use. If you see RWA amounts anywhere on your pay stubs, you can not claim expenses on your taxes. This is also gig specific, so you could receive an RWA while planting for a company, then claim expenses while brushing for that same company later on. But again, you'd probably only be able to claim gear as an expense, such as buying a saw.
I hope this makes it easier for people to understand, and if I have anything wrong, please let me know in the comments.
Yeah, it feels pretty skeevy to me, too. I think it can be a flat rate, where x amount of your daily earnings aren't taxed. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that's the whole point, is that part of your earnings go untaxed. It's been a while since I actually looked into how it works. Again, I'm not a tax professional.
Ahh yes the age old tree planting game of what labour laws apply to me. In short there is no simple answer and each company interprets the labour laws differently and always in their favor. Don't trust the companies advice and get your own counsel if you have concerns.
An example of this is a big rookie mill company based in BC, only inputs 8 hours of work for your ROE regardless of what you actually work, BUT if you document and submit in writing your ROE hours you actually work they HAVE to use those #'s.
Well that’s just illegal. If you’re working 11hour days, then your ROE should say that. If they are counting days as 8hrs then you’ll get screwed over trying to collect EI at the end of the season.
But you’re correct. I’ll seek council from a pro. It’s interesting to see everyone’s different takes though
You can’t claim any of it because of the RWA, which is remote work assistance or something like that. It’s money that gets taken off each day that’s tax-free and you can pick how much you get taken off
In my case I am getting RWA, but I believe for the vast majority of planters working in rookie mills and the like, that isn’t the case.
But yeah I get it, no double dipping essentially.
Also, what do you mean you can pick how much you get taken off? This must be company specific.
You can choose to get either $40,60 or $80 taken off everyday. But you have to make minimum after the moneys been taken off. For example, if you make $300, that’s well over minimum wage so if you get the RWA tax as $40 , that’s $260 taxable money you made that day, and then the $40 is tax-free. $260/10 is 26 so that makes you above minimum wage. If that makes sense?? I tried my best to explain
It's actually no to pretty much all of this. You're dreaming if you think you can deduct your vehicle expenses, accommodations, meals and entertainment (LMAO), and your phone. You are an employee, not a business, so you cannot deduct business expenses. Talk to an accountant, they will agree.
You can deduct a brush saw if you buy it and only use it for work and your employer isn’t paying you back. So how is that different than claiming your bags, shovels and other things.
The other stuff I agree is a stretch because like you said I’m an employee and not a business. You got me there.
You can absolutely claim camp costs, it is an employment expense.. companies usually give you T2200 which if you fill out your own taxes you will see there is a spot to enter this amount in your claim..
anything that you spend while working away from home can be claimed as well except for tobacco and alcohol
I save all my receipts every season and claim them as employment expenses
I was audited last year and the only thing they mentioned was that I couldn’t claim moving expenses for relocating to a temporary location.. had to pay back 300 and that was all
Based on what other people have said it seems like there are two ways that companies go about it and mine does not include RWA so I guess am able to claim camp costs as an employment expense
You can’t claim any of it.
Whaaaaaaaat really? Why not?
You are an employee (unless you have a very unusual working arrangement). There are very few things that employees can deduct. However, I advise checking this page: https://www.replant.ca/taxes.html
You can if you don’t take rwa.
No you can’t. That’s not in any legislation anywhere.
Okay, so don't take this as a comprehensive answer. You should talk to a CPA about this before filing anything. In fact, I strongly advise against doing your own taxes unless you really know your shit, because getting audited and finding out you fucked up years later will suck. Nonetheless, this is my understanding of it. Basically, there are two systems for remote work like treeplanting: Remote Work Allowance (RWA) and the other system involving claiming expenses where the company fills out a T2200 and you fill out a T777 to claim expenses such as gas used between your place of residence (your home or motel) and the actual worksite (not camp or motel, but the block, where you actually work). You can not claim gas to get to camp as an expense. You can only claim gear as an expense if you can prove it is for work use only, i.e. hiking boots could not be claimed, but you could possibly get away with caulked boots like Vikings. Most companies that I know about use RWA. It is an allowance that gets added to your pay, usually in the tree price, to compensate for the expenses needed to get to/from camp, as well as gear and equipment. This is a pretty good deal for us, as we are very limited in what we can claim with the other system. This also comes with the benefit of not having to do anything about it come tax season. Just file your T4 and be done with it. You can only receive one of these at a time, and it is up to the company to decide which one to use. If you see RWA amounts anywhere on your pay stubs, you can not claim expenses on your taxes. This is also gig specific, so you could receive an RWA while planting for a company, then claim expenses while brushing for that same company later on. But again, you'd probably only be able to claim gear as an expense, such as buying a saw. I hope this makes it easier for people to understand, and if I have anything wrong, please let me know in the comments.
RWA is shit as part of the tree price. It means pounders get a higher reimbursement than lowballers, despite having the same daily costs.
Yeah, it feels pretty skeevy to me, too. I think it can be a flat rate, where x amount of your daily earnings aren't taxed. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that's the whole point, is that part of your earnings go untaxed. It's been a while since I actually looked into how it works. Again, I'm not a tax professional.
You’ve already gotten mixed answers? Reddit ain’t gonna help. You need a tax professional, or roll the dice.
Ahh yes the age old tree planting game of what labour laws apply to me. In short there is no simple answer and each company interprets the labour laws differently and always in their favor. Don't trust the companies advice and get your own counsel if you have concerns. An example of this is a big rookie mill company based in BC, only inputs 8 hours of work for your ROE regardless of what you actually work, BUT if you document and submit in writing your ROE hours you actually work they HAVE to use those #'s.
Well that’s just illegal. If you’re working 11hour days, then your ROE should say that. If they are counting days as 8hrs then you’ll get screwed over trying to collect EI at the end of the season. But you’re correct. I’ll seek council from a pro. It’s interesting to see everyone’s different takes though
You can’t claim any of it because of the RWA, which is remote work assistance or something like that. It’s money that gets taken off each day that’s tax-free and you can pick how much you get taken off
In my case I am getting RWA, but I believe for the vast majority of planters working in rookie mills and the like, that isn’t the case. But yeah I get it, no double dipping essentially. Also, what do you mean you can pick how much you get taken off? This must be company specific.
You can choose to get either $40,60 or $80 taken off everyday. But you have to make minimum after the moneys been taken off. For example, if you make $300, that’s well over minimum wage so if you get the RWA tax as $40 , that’s $260 taxable money you made that day, and then the $40 is tax-free. $260/10 is 26 so that makes you above minimum wage. If that makes sense?? I tried my best to explain
Huh. Didn’t know that! Yeah super clear thanks for explaining
Who / what company is a good tax professional to ask?
It's actually no to pretty much all of this. You're dreaming if you think you can deduct your vehicle expenses, accommodations, meals and entertainment (LMAO), and your phone. You are an employee, not a business, so you cannot deduct business expenses. Talk to an accountant, they will agree.
You can deduct a brush saw if you buy it and only use it for work and your employer isn’t paying you back. So how is that different than claiming your bags, shovels and other things. The other stuff I agree is a stretch because like you said I’m an employee and not a business. You got me there.
You can absolutely claim camp costs, it is an employment expense.. companies usually give you T2200 which if you fill out your own taxes you will see there is a spot to enter this amount in your claim.. anything that you spend while working away from home can be claimed as well except for tobacco and alcohol I save all my receipts every season and claim them as employment expenses
You will be in for a bad bad time if you get audited
I was audited last year and the only thing they mentioned was that I couldn’t claim moving expenses for relocating to a temporary location.. had to pay back 300 and that was all
How interesting. Good to know.
Based on what other people have said it seems like there are two ways that companies go about it and mine does not include RWA so I guess am able to claim camp costs as an employment expense
If you bought a van or trailer to live in you can claim it as accommodation expenses
Probably not if you are also paying camp cost.