MPs want to tie tax breaks on wireless gear to retail price breaks

By Perry Hoffman

OTTAWA - The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association argued before the federal Finance Committee this week that increasing the accelerate capital cost allowance on certain classes of wireless equipment would result in a substantial jump in mobile infrastructure investment.Kurt Eby, director of regulatory affairs and government relations at the CWTA, told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance on February 16 that upping CCA to 50% “would return significant benefits to Canadians and the national economy.”Specifically, annual telecommunications investment would increase by $122 million annually in the short term and if the tax change was permanent, the benefits would nearly...