Taxes

Taxes are mandatory contributions that residents are required to make on the income they earn and the goods they buy, among others. The taxes collected are used by governments to fund infrastructure, public programs, and other services that benefit residents.
 
Canada's tax system is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Every year, you can determine your tax obligation by filing an income tax return and sending it to the CRA. On the return, you:

• report your income and claim your deductions
• calculate your federal and provincial tax
• determine if you’ll get money back or owe taxes, depending on whether enough tax was deducted from your pay during the year.

Please note: Your filing obligations may be different if you live in Canada permanently or temporarily. To find out if you should file a tax return and what your tax obligations are, visit the Who should file a tax return page of the CRA website. You can also visit the Newcomers to Canada and the CRA page, where you can find helpful tax information specifically dedicated to newcomers.

For information about provincial taxes, visit the Government of British Columbia's Taxes and tax credits page.

There are many ways to file your tax return to the Canada Revenue Agency:

• You can choose to file your own taxes by getting an income tax package and mailing your paper return, or by filing one online using a tax software
• You can have someone else do it for you using a professional tax preparer for a fee, or
• If you are eligible, you can have a volunteer file your taxes for you for free using the services of a free tax clinic.

For more information, visit the CRA's How to file a tax return page.

As a newcomer, there are many tax benefits and credits that are available to you in Canada. You can apply to get benefits and credit payments, including any related provincial payments, even before you file your tax return for the first time.

To learn more, visit the Government of Canada's Tax credits and benefits for individuals page.