Sask. farmer's tax refund in limbo as legislation stalls

A Saskatchewan farm family is still waiting for their roughly $10,000 tax refund as a new tax credit remains stuck in legislative mud.

"It just makes the workload a little bit heavier," Gail Skavlebo said.

The Skavlebos run a 500-acre grain farm west of Shellbrook and were planning to put their refund toward inputs for this crop year, repairs and upgrades — such as roll tarps for their grain trucks so her 66-year-old husband wouldn't have to crawl up onto the box and pull the tarp shut by hand.

They filed their taxes on March 12. However, because they applied for the new Fuel Charged Proceeds to Farmers Tax Credit contained in Bill C-8, which has yet to receive royal assent, Canada Revenue Agency hasn't processed their refund. Teachers who applied for the Eligible Educator School Supply Tax Credit are in the same boat.

As of April 18, the CRA said about 70,000 returns were being held back due to either tax credit.

"Should Royal Assent be achieved, the Notices of Assessment will be issued to the impacted individuals," a CRA spokesperson said in a statement to CTV News last month.

Skavlebo said she would tell the government to process the tax returns without the credits, then send the rest of the refunds afterwards.

"Don't sit on it, because it's hurting everyone that they're holding it back on."

She also wondered if the government would provide interest on the payments they're withholding since people who make late filings face a late charge.

Bill C-8 passed third reading in the House of Commons on May 4 and was in second reading at the Senate on Tuesday.