Free tax clinics are important to communities throughout Canada. Due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, many community organizations had to close, postpone, or scale back on the free tax clinics they offer.

Today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, announced that virtual clinics will be held on an interim basis to help those that rely on this service while still following physical distancing guidelines. Clinics will have new flexibility to receive and authenticate documents in a variety of ways, including allowing the use of video communication.

She said, “By filing a tax return, Canadians can get benefits and credits that can significantly improve their quality of life. I am reassured to see that tax clinics will now be able to provide virtual services to continue supporting vulnerable Canadians. I want to thank the community organizations and their volunteers for their work in helping others during this difficult time.”

These free tax clinics, where eligible people can have community volunteers file their taxes, will be offered by local organizations, in partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP).

The CRA hopes that by going virtual, community organizations will have the opportunity to host clinics before the June 1, 2020 filing deadline and beyond.

For more information on virtual tax clinics, click HERE.

To find a clinic in your area, click HERE.