All ages now benefit from healthy living tax credit

By Holly Gordon - The Weekly News
If you're registering for a sport or recreation activity in 2009, keep those tax receipts. The provincial government is extending its healthy living tax credit to Nova Scotians of all ages.
The credit was originally put in place four years ago for youth, ages 17 and under, to get a tax credit on registration fees for sport and physical activities to a maximum of $500.
That means a savings of up to $44 per person, each tax year.
Starting Jan. 1, 2009 people of all ages will be able to benefit from this same tax credit.
Glenn Friel, spokesperson for Health Promotion and Protection, says it's all about being healthy.
"We want people to lead healthier, and more active lifestyles - to get involved in more physical and sport recreation."
Nova Scotia is the leader in the country, being the first province to extend the credit to adults.
The criteria for eligible sports organizations are the same as for the previous tax credit: a sport or fitness-related physical activity that has a registration involved. Go to http://www.gov.ns.ca/OHP/HealthyLivingIncentiveEligibility.html to see an alphabetized list of all applicable organizations.
If the sport you participate in isn't listed, ask the sport's organizer to apply for status - it only takes two weeks, and as long as there's a fitness aspect to the activity, Friel says it should be approved. Even franchise gyms like Nubody's qualify for the credit.
Jason Prager, a computer support person and father of three young children, will be taking advantage of the tax credit this year. He just started taking karate lessons at the North Woodside Community Centre, after registering his son and deciding it was something he wanted to do as well.
"I was always interested in taking it, and I wanted some activity over the winter," says Prager.
When he was younger, he used to motocross and ride his bike all the time - an overall healthy kid. Now, he doesn't do any physical activity.
"With the kids (six, five, and three years old), you end up spending all of your time on them and not on any activities yourself," says Prager. He's hoping karate every Saturday will push him to do more.
Prager took advantage of the tax credit for youth for his children while doing his 2008 taxes, and is holding onto his own receipts this year to claim his karate registration.
He says saving up to $44 per family member involved in physical activity is appreciated.
"Every little bit helps."
holly.a.gordon@gmail.com