The Canada Revenue Agency kicked off its tax season this week by urging Canadians to file their taxes on time — and reminding them that they may be owed money.
The filing deadline of April 30 falls on a Sunday this year, so Canadians have until May 1 to finish filing their taxes. But a looming strike for CRA workers may be on the horizon.
Here’s a look at what you need to know, and at some of the new benefits you may qualify for this year.
IT’S FASTER TO FILE TAXES ONLINE
CRA assistant commissioner Gillian Pranke, who is in charge of this tax season, is encouraging people to file their taxes online. She said 92 per cent of Canadians filed online last year.
“For individuals who are signed up for direct deposit and file electronically, they can expect to get their refund within about eight days,” Pranke said.
For those who file via mail, the process of getting a refund can take up to eight weeks.
THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT OWE YOU MONEY
Canadians who don’t file their taxes can miss out on money they’re owed.
In the fall, the CRA said about $1.4 billion in uncashed checks was sitting in its coffers.
Pranke said it’s a misconception that only people who owe money should file their taxes. “You might be leaving some money on the table.”
NEW AND UPDATED BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE
The government has introduced or expanded some of the tax credits that Canadians can claim, including:
First-time home buyers’ tax credit. The amount used to calculate the first-time home buyers’ tax credit has increased to $10,000 for homes bought after Dec. 31, 2021. That means Canadians who bought their first home last year may be eligible for a refund of up to $1,500.
Home accessibility tax credit. This credit is available for eligible home renovations or alteration expenses aimed at making a home safer or more accessible for a person with a disability. The benefit has been enhanced this year, allowing Canadians to claim up to $20,000 in expenses.
Climate action incentive payment. While the rebate itself is not new, as of this year, residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are newly eligible to receive the incentive payment that offsets the cost of the federal price on carbon pollution. Residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario continue to be eligible for the payments.
Disability tax credit. The tax credit, which reduces the income tax that people with disabilities or their family members may have to pay, was updated to cover individuals who have Type 1 diabetes, effective beginning in the 2021 tax year.
Simplified northern residents travel deduction. The CRA is launching a pilot project to make it easier for northern residents to determine the lowest return airfare, an amount required to claim travel deductions. The simplified process includes tables that identify the lowest return airfare, which are available on the government of Canada website.
A STRIKE COULD CREATE SOME DISRUPTIONS
Marc Briere, the national president for the Union of Taxation Employees, said strike votes have been launched and are expected to conclude in early April.
Briere said he expects that CRA workers represented by the union will vote overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action, which would affect tax filing this season.
His advice for Canadians, he said, is to file their taxes early to avoid any disruption by a potential strike.
While Pranke would not weigh in on how a strike might affect tax season, she encouraged Canadians to file their taxes online, which involves less manual work to process.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP — AND BEWARE OF SCAMS
For modest-income earners, Pranke said a range of resources are available to help with the filing process, including free online software.
The CRA has also partnered with more than 3,100 community organizations that run tax clinics, and more information about these can be found on the canada.ca website.
And the agency’s helpline is available to those who have missed past tax filings or are fearful of making a mistake, Pranke said.
She added a word of warning: Canadians should be vigilant to avoid falling for scam calls and text messages that claim to be from the CRA.
“When we contact you, we’ll make it clear who we are. And we go to great lengths to protect client information,” she said, adding that the federal agency never sends texts with links to click.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2023.
MONTREAL – Quebec’s ombudsperson is warning that public services are becoming “dehumanized” in the province amid a rise in demand for them.
Marc-André Dowd released his annual report today, which highlights several examples of people receiving inadequate care across the health network in the 12 months leading to March 31.
One dying man who lived alone was denied help cleaning his cat’s litter box by his local health clinic, a service Dowd says should have been given for “humanitarian reasons.”
Dowd also describes staff at a long-term care home feeding residents “mechanically” and talking among each other — despite health ministry guidelines directing staff to maintain eye contact with residents.
The ombudsperson says his office received a record number of problems to investigate across the province’s public services — 24,867 compared with 22,053 last year.
He says his office investigated 13,358 cases between April 2023 and March of this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
OTTAWA – French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Canada next week after a planned trip in July was cancelled amid political turmoil in France.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in a statement today that Macron will be in Canada Wednesday and Thursday after the leaders attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
Trudeau will welcome Macron in Ottawa on Wednesday, where they are expected to discuss collaboration on geopolitical issues including their ongoing support for Ukraine.
They are also expected to discuss ways to strengthen the response to emerging threats, such as disinformation.
In Montreal, Trudeau intends to show off the city’s artificial intelligence sector, while both countries reaffirm their commitment to work with counterparts on responsible use of AI.
The leaders will also discuss promoting the French language ahead of the Francophonie summit being held in France next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Health Canada has authorized Novavax’s updated COVID-19 vaccine that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.
The protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid, has been reformulated to target the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron.
It will replace the previous version of the vaccine, which targeted the XBB.1.5 subvariant of Omicron.
Health Canada recently asked provinces and territories to get rid of their older COVID-19 vaccines to ensure the most current vaccine will be used during this fall’s respiratory virus season.
Earlier this week, Health Canada approved Moderna’s updated mRNA COVID vaccine.
It is still reviewing Pfizer’s updated mRNA vaccine, with a decision expected soon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version erroneously described the Novavax vaccine as an mRNA shot.
