Tax filing resources for residents and organizations
The Peel Poverty Reduction Committee (PPRC) has partnered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to provide information and resources to support you in filing your taxes, including finding a free tax clinic near you hosted by community organizations.
Peel Region does not host tax clinics.
File your taxes every year
It's important to file your taxes every year, even if you have no income to report. This ensures you'll receive all the government benefits and credits you may be eligible for.
To find a free tax clinic near you, visit Find a tax clinic in your area.
Wealthsimple Tax and TurboTax are 2 free tax software programs you can use to file your taxes.
If you're an authorized representative under your spouse's CRA account, you can file their tax return. Exceptional cases can happen: if you're in doubt, call the General Inquiries line at 1-800-959-8281.
The Benefits Wayfinder online tool
The Benefits Wayfinder by Prosper Canada is an online guide to government benefits that can help put more money in your pocket.
The Benefits Wayfinder:
- Helps Canadians living on low-to-modest incomes find and track benefits they may be eligible for.
- It is a one-stop, simple, virtual guide with 4 ways to search for federal, provincial, and territorial benefits.
- Can be used by clients individually or by tax clinic volunteers to support clients with their benefits search.
The benefits and credits you're eligible for depend on your personal and family circumstances.
Use the Ontario Benefits Calculator to estimate how much money you could get if you file a tax return this year. You can also use the Canada Revenue Agency's Benefits Calculator to find out which child and family benefits you qualify for and how much your payments might be.
Depending on your income level, you may qualify for the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), where you can file your taxes through a free tax clinic.
Since COVID-19 restrictions, there many be a mix of in-person tax clinics with virtual clinics by videoconference or phone.
Finding a CVITP tax clinic near you
To find a free CVITP tax clinic in your area:
- Visit Free tax clinics - Canada.ca the CVITP clinic directory and select your applicable criteria to search.
- Click or tap "Find a tax clinic in your area"
- Select which type of clinic you're looking for (for example, walk-in, drop-off, or virtual) and your location for a list of clinics in your area that meet your specifications.
What to bring to the clinic
Be sure to bring your identification with you.
Also be ready to provide (if applicable):
- Your spouse's legal name, date of birth, Social Insurance Number (SIN), and address.
- A list of all your dependents, their exact date of birth, and SIN (if they have one). Bring the following documents with you (as applicable).
Income
- T4- Salary and wages
- T4A, T5, T3- Pension, annuity and investment income, Canada or Ontario savings bonds (or both)
- T4 (OSA) - Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement or spouse's allowance
- T4A(P) - Canada Pension Plan
- T4RSP, T4RRIF - Registered Retirement Savings Plan or Registered Retirement Income Fund
- T4E- Employment insurance benefits
- T5007- Social assistance payments/Workers Compensation benefits
- RC62 - Universal Child Care Benefit
- If you have received a lump-sum payment, bring the breakdown statement from the payer
- Receipts for expenses and credits (please total your deductions)
Housing
- All property taxes or rent paid (provide in a list along with the total amount)
Children
- Child care expenses and a completed T778 (if you have one)
Education
- Union dues, tuition fees, and education amounts (T2202)
Medical
- Medical expenses (provide in a list along with the total amount)
Transit
- Public transit pass - seniors only (provide in a list along with the total amount; you can claim on a month’s duration or longer)
Donations
- Charitable/ political donations (Please have a list & total amount)
Other
- Details of spouse's and dependents' income
- Date of arrival to Canada and status (if a new immigrant)
- Indicate if your spouse is non-resident (if applicable)
- Proof of payment to non-resident dependents (over 18)
- Direct deposit information (void cheque or letter (or both) from your bank with your banking information)
If you cannot access your tax slips
If you create a MyAccount on the CRA website, you'll be able to access all your necessary tax slips for a given year.
If you cannot access to a computer and you do not have your tax slips, call the CRA General Inquiries helpline at 1-800-959-8281 and request to have them mailed to you. If you are eligible for a CVITP free tax clinic, the volunteer preparing your return can also retrieve your tax slips.
Payments for tax owing
If your tax return shows that you owe tax money, visit Make a payment for individuals – Payments to the CRA to select a payment option.
Newcomers to Peel who landed on December 31 of the previous tax year need to file a tax return.
For tax purposes it's beneficial for newcomers to file their taxes so they can collect the credits or benefits (or both) that they may be entitled to.
The CRA Outreach program partners with community organizations to provide free presentations on various tax topics including newcomers, international students, and seniors.
For more information about the Outreach Program, call the CRA at 416-420-0906 or visit Request a CRA Outreach visit to arrange a presentation.
If you have a basic understanding of income tax and want to help others in Peel, consider volunteering to process and submit tax returns at a Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) clinic.
As a CVITP clinic volunteer:
- You'll help thousands of people get their entitled benefits and credits.
- You can choose to file and complete people’s taxes in person or virtually by videoconference or by phone.
- You'll receive training, guidance, access to a dedicated help line, and free tax software.
Police checks and clearance to volunteer
The police record check is required for anyone with access to taxpayer information in a support role, paper tax preparers, and Autofill Returns. It is not required for regular e-filing.
Any kind of paper file will also require a police record check.
Police record checks are valid for 3 years. We ask the primary contact of organizations to provide the date of the police record check to the CRA. The organization can keep a copy.
Any level of police record check is suitable. Some organizations specifically ask for a vulnerable sector check, but that is rare. An RCMP record check can also be used as the police check.
For more information on record checks, visit Register to volunteer - Canada.ca.
A volunteer helpline is available to CVITP tax clinic volunteers Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (PST) and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PST).
This helpline is for CVITP volunteers only and should never be shared with anyone outside of the CVITP.
CVITP clients receive an Organization Identification Number (COIN) the first time they file taxes through a CVITP clinic. Their COIN stays the same each year. A CVITP officer can provide a client’s COIN if you cannot locate it.
These tax filing resources provide information to organizations about hosting a free clinic and referring clients to appropriate tools.
Where to refer clients
Clients who are eligible for filing through a free tax clinic can visit Free tax clinics – Canada.ca, the CVITP clinic directory to find a clinic in their area and select their applicable criteria to search.
CRA resources
Registered CVITP host organizations and volunteers will have access to the volunteer training page, live and recorded training webinars on tax-related topics, the CVITP helpline, tax filing software, and a CVITP EFILE number.
Hosting a free tax clinic
For information on hosting a free tax clinic and to register your organization, visit Host a free tax clinic - Canada.ca.
Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) Grants
The CVITP Grant helps offset costs incurred by community organizations that host free tax clinics and provides funding for income tax returns filed.
To apply for a grant, visit Questions and answers about CVITP Grant.
For more information about tax clinics and filing, call the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) General Inquiries Helpline at 1-800-959-8281. For information about the resources provided email the Peel Poverty Reduction Committee (PPRC).