The Institute of Public Administration of Canada awarded Revenu Québec its 2012 Gold IPAC Award for Innovative Management.
August 22, 2012.– Revenu Québec is proud to have won the 2012 Gold IPAC Award for Innovative Management for its mandatory billing in the restaurant sector project. The award was presented by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) at its 64thannual conference held in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
This award recognizes world-class innovative initiatives that change the face of the public service in Canada. By awarding the prize, the IPAC recognizes Revenu Québec's innovative approach to solving a major tax evasion problem.
In addition, Réseau ACTION TI awarded Revenu Québec the OCTAS Excellence award and the OCTAS award for innovation in the category for organizations with over 250 employees. Revenu Québec is proud to have received awards that underline its excellence and expertise in implementing information technologies in the fight against tax evasion.
“The success of this project is a source of pride for Revenu Québec. It underscores the importance of teamwork within our organization and cooperative partnerships with members of the sector concerned. I would like to thank all our partners in the restaurant sector who have joined forces with us in the fight against tax evasion—a problem that costs an estimated $419 million each year,” said Revenu Québec's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jean St-Gelais.
Fighting tax evasion effectively
Since November 1, 2011, all restaurateurs subject to the new tax measures in the restaurant sector have been required to provide bills produced using a sales recording module (SRM) to every customer. Based on the latest technology, this unique module stores and protects all sales data. More than 31,000 SRMs have been installed to date in some 18,000 restaurant establishments. This new measure against tax evasion will help Revenu Québec recover over $2.3 billion by 2018-1019.
Revenu Québec has set up a hotline that individuals can call to report restaurateurs that do not comply with these new measures. Restaurateurs that complied with the new measures by installing an SRM in their establishment before November 1, 2011, were able to benefit from a government grant program.
Thanks to this project, Revenu Québec now has an effective means of fighting tax evasion and the underground economy, which results in unfair competition in the restaurant sector. Revenu Québec would like to thank all the people who, through their know-how, dedication and commitment, contributed to making this project a success.