Thunder Bay businessman fined $54,000 for not filing tax returns

Thunder Bay, Ontario, October 10, 2013 … The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced today that on October 8, 2013, Pasquale (Pat) Stilla, of Thunder Bay, Ontario, pleaded guilty, in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to 18 counts of failing to file personal and corporate income tax returns. He was fined $3,000 per count for a total of $54,000. Mr. Stilla must pay the fine and file all outstanding returns by October 8, 2014.

Mr. Stilla pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to file his 2007 and 2008 personal income tax returns.
As the corporate director, Mr. Stilla pleaded guilty to 16 counts of failing to file corporate returns, for various years from 2003 to 2008, for the following corporations: 6510051 Canada Inc. operating as Central Spring; 1468001 Ontario Ltd. operating as The Spring People; 1304845 Ontario Ltd. operating as G Stilla & Sons Trucking; and 2064897 Ontario Inc.

The preceding information was obtained from the court records.

“Under the Canadian tax system, the government relies on Canadians to pay the taxes they owe,” said Vince Pranjivan, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Ontario Region of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). “The Agency takes appropriate measures to ensure that everyone meets their tax obligations.”

When individuals or corporations are convicted of failing to file tax returns, in addition to any fines imposed by the courts, they are still obligated to file the tax return and pay the full amount of taxes owing, plus interest, as well as any civil penalties that may be assessed by the CRA.

Taxpayers who have not filed returns for previous years, or who have not reported all of their income, can still voluntarily correct their tax affairs. They may not be penalized or prosecuted if they make a valid disclosure before they become aware of any compliance action being initiated by the CRA against them. These taxpayers may only have to pay the taxes owing, plus interest. More information on the Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) can be found on the CRA's website at www.cra.gc.ca/voluntarydisclosures.

Further information on convictions can also be found in the Media Room on the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/convictions.

Canada Revenue Agency

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