Business leaders want capital gains deferral to keep money in Canadian firms

TORONTO — Canadian business leaders are calling on the federal government to reform some of its tax policies in hopes of bolstering investments in domestic firms.

More than 150 investors and executives have signed a letter asking Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne to consider two policies they claim will bolster entrepreneurship in Canada.

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The first encourages the country to adopt a program akin to the U.S. qualified small business stock incentive, which allows capital gains from qualified small business stocks to be excluded from federal tax.

The second proposes allowing more entrepreneurs and investors to defer paying some capital gains taxes when proceeds from some domestic business transactions are reinvested in another homegrown venture.

The signatories say deferring but not eliminating the tax would incentivize people who have built successful businesses to put their money to work again rather than take it out of the economy.

The letter was orchestrated by the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association and the Council of Canadian Innovators in hopes of lowering barriers to new investment and getting startups more funding.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2026.

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press