For Immediate Release August 4, 2006

Child Fitness Tax Credit Initiative Making Positive Progress

Ottawa- Ed Komarnicki, Member of Parliament for Souris-Moose Mountain, welcomed an announcement this week by the Honourable Jim Faherty, Minister of Finance, on the appointment of an expert panel to advise on the programs of physical activity that should be eligible for the fitness tax credit that was announced in the 2006 Budget.

“Physical activity plays an important part in the growth and development of our youth and their improved physical fitness,” said Komarnicki. “This is a much welcomed initiative that our government is undertaking in light of the escalating costs that parents have to face associated with enrolling their children in organized sports.”

The panel has been assigned to provide advice on the definition of programs that should be eligible for the children’s fitness tax credit that was announced in Budget 2006. The initiative will provide parents with a tax credit of up to $500 to cover registration fees for eligible programs of physical activity for children under 16 years of age.

The panel will report its recommendations to the Minister of Finance by October 2006, to allow for the tax credit to come into force on January 1, 2007.

Persons wishing to submit views to the panel can do so before September 15, 2006, by writing to the Expert Panel for the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance, 140 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5, or by writing to the panel’s e-mail address at fitnesscredit-creditconditionphysique@fin.gc.ca.