e-5181 (Taxation)
- Keywords
- Celiac disease
- Tax credits
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Government of Canada
- Celiac disease (CD) is a serious autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten damages the small intestine and negatively impacts many other organ systems in the body;
- It is estimated that CD affects one percent of the Canadian population, or 400,000 children and adults;
- The only known treatment for CD is a strict gluten-free diet for life;
- The prices of gluten-free foods are 150-500% higher than their gluten-containing counterparts;
- Under the Medical Exemption Tax Credit (METC), persons with CD can claim the incremental costs associated with buying gluten free-food products as a medical expense;
- According Celiac Canada’s 2024 State of Celiac Survey, 75% of Canadians with CD find the gluten-free diet to be expensive and only 1 in 5 have claimed the incremental cost of the gluten-free diet on their income tax; and
- The METC is administratively burdensome, disadvantages patients with low health or financial literacy, and the credit is non-refundable, providing little benefit to the most vulnerable Canadians with CD.
- Open for signature
- October 11, 2024, at 4:04 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- November 10, 2024, at 4:04 p.m. (EDT)