​The 2011 Budget introduced a number of changes that could affect your personal taxes.

2 new tax credits

1. Children’s Arts Tax Credit

Starting in 2011, you can claim the costs of music lessons, art classes and other cultural activities for your children under age 16. Keep your receipts as proof.

The maximum amount of this non-refundable tax credit is $500 per child per year, which means $75 in tax savings. Learn more about the Children's Arts Tax Credit.

2. Family Caregiver Tax Credit

Starting in 2012, if you care for an infirm family member, you can add an additional $2,000 to 1 of these tax credits on your tax return:

• the spousal or common-law partner amount,
• child tax credit,
• amount for eligible dependents,
• caregiver amount, or
• infirm dependant amount.

This could result in up to $300 of tax savings each year. Learn more about the Family Caregiver Tax Credit.

Changes to 4 tax credits

1. Medical Expense Tax Credit

Starting in 2011, there is no longer a maximum amount that you can claim for the medical expenses of dependants. The previous limit was $10,000.

2. Eligibility for the Child Tax Credit

If 2 or more families share a home, each eligible parent can now claim the credit with respect to their own children. In the past, only 1 person per “domestic establishment” could claim the credit.

3. Tuition Tax Credit: Exam fees

You can now claim the fees you pay to take a required professional exam to obtain:

• a recognized professional designation, or
• a licence or certification to practice a profession or trade in Canada.

Learn more about the Tuition Amount - Examinations.

4. Tuition and education amounts for study abroad

If you study abroad full-time, you can now claim this credit for courses as short as 3 weeks. In the past, courses had to be at least 13 weeks long. Similar changes apply to education assistance payments (EAPs). Learn more about Education Tax Measures - Study Abroad.

2 changes to charitable donation rules

1. New rules aim to stop people from acquiring and donating flow-through shares at little or no after-tax cost.
2. Rules that now apply to registered charities will be extended to other entities that are also allowed to issue official donation receipts:
   • registered Canadian amateur athletic associations
   • Canadian municipalities
   • public bodies performing government functions in Canada
   • housing corporations constituted exclusively to provide low-cost housing for the aged
   • non-Canadian universities (which ordinarily have Canadian students)
   • other non-Canadian charitable organizations.