Taxing wealth
to fight inequality
Sign the petition
Inflation, the rising cost of living, the pandemic, the climate emergency… All these factors are exacerbating the inequality crisis. We’re all affected, but not in the same ways. In recent months a handful of super-rich individuals have continued to rake in spectacular profits, while more and more people have sunk into poverty. Since 2020, the richest 1% have captured nearly twice as much money as the bottom 99% of the world’s population. Something has to be done to fight this injustice!
Together, let’s build a future of equality!
To put an end to inequalities, we must give ourselves the means, together! A more just, green and inclusive society also requires a better redistribution of wealth.
The billions of dollars collected by taxing wealth and windfall profits could finance health or education… Public services that benefit everyone!
A more just taxation of the wealthiest:
an idea whose time has come!
Everyone is talking about it! Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Sri Lanka and Bolivia have increased taxes on the richest.
It is being discussed in Chile. And it is starting to be done in Kenya, China, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Canada among others.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) now recognizes its potential, as does the European Central Bank (ECB).
As early as 2020, millionaires have even called for permanent taxation of the wealthiest to help finance the global economic recovery.
Rethinking the taxation of wealth is therefore not such a far-fetched idea or a concept advocated by only a few individuals.
Discover the report
The inequality gap is widening
Since 2020, the richest people have grabbed twice as much money as 99% of the world’s population
Only 4 cents of every tax dollar comes from a wealth tax
Energy and agribusiness companies more than double their profits in 2022
Source : « Survival of the richest », Oxfam, report, 2023 
What concrete solutions are we asking for?
Denouncing inequalities is not enough to fight them. We need also solutions. By signing our petition, you’re supporting concrete demands for the richest companies and individuals to pay their fair share. You agree with the imposition of innovative tax justice measure that do the following:
Increase wealth taxes on the richest
Significantly and immediately increase wealth taxes to help fund economic rescue and recovery plans, and impose temporary windfall taxes on all businesses that make excessive profits.
For example, during World War I, Britain and the United States instituted an 80% tax rate on profits in excess of an 8% annual return.
Repatriate money hidden in tax havens
- Adopt business taxes, set at fair and reasonable rates, in coordination with other countries, on a case-by-case basis by country, with profits fairly assigned to each country
- Speed up the rollout of automated information-sharing mechanisms in developing countries
- Publish reports on the activities of multinational corporations in all countries to help recover money squirrelled away in tax havens
Tax luxury goods and pollutants
Impose taxes on luxury goods and things that sabotage the fight against climate change. Carbon emissions of a wealthy minority contribute significantly to extreme climatic conditions and undermine efforts to limit global warming.
Take aim at the giants of digital
Activate a digital sales and services tax on companies heavily concentrated in digital, an idea popularly known in Canada as the “Netflix Tax”.
Sign the petition
Taxation: A feminist issue
A tax system can reinforce gender inequalities. When the wealthiest do not do their fair share, governments are tempted to cut public services or raise consumption taxes. These choices can disproportionately affect women. Why is this so?
➧ Austerity measures affect women in particular, as they are more likely to work in the public sector than men. And since they take care of the family to a greater extent than men, they are more dependent on public services (education, childcare, health).
➧ An increase in consumption taxes is also felt more acutely by women, who usually do the family’s weekly shopping. They therefore spend a gretear proportion of their weekly or monthly income on taxes.
Every voice counts
Thanks to your 38,000 signatures, Oxfam-Québec is making your voice heard by the government.
We proposed solutions to our leaders. And we’ve been heard. Let’s not stop there!
Together, let’s keep pushing to tax the wealthiest.
Since the launch of this petition, the federal government has announced:
- a new tax on luxury and polluting goods that is expected to raise $604 million in revenue over 5 years (boats over $250,000, aircraft and new cars over $100,000)
- a planned 3% tax on large digital services companies (Amazon, Facebook, Google, Apple) that is expected to raise $1.13 billion in revenue
- stricter rules to prevent the use of tax avoidance and tax havens
Sign the petition
To go further
Discover our campaign «climate of justice»
Considering humanitarian emergencies
Learn more about Oxfam-Québec