SASKATCHEWAN — The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says it’s important for people to file their tax returns before the April 30 deadline, even if they don’t owe money.
Spokesperson Gurpreet Plaha told SaskToday the filing period opened on Feb. 23 and will continue until April 30 for most Canadians. She encourages people to make sure they compile all necessary information before submitting their taxes.
“April 30th is a bit far away, so it gives us time to be organized, get all your income slips, your deductions, your receipts, your invoices, all organized in one order before you file,” she said.
Those who are self-employed have until June 15, she said, but they still have to pay by April 30 if they owe taxes this year.
A late-filing penalty will be applied to those who owe money and don’t file by April 30. They would pay a five per cent penalty on the amount, plus an additional one per cent for each month they are late, up to 12 months.
“If your tax bill is something that’s holding you back from filing on time, I would suggest you still file on time and give us a call, and we can explore some payment arrangement options for you as well,” Plaha said.
If someone misses something, they can file an adjustment for their previous tax return and make the correct filing. Personal information needs to be updated on the CRA system as well, she said, in case they have moved, had a change to their marital status or if they have had kids.
The RRSP filing deadline of Feb. 28 is approaching as well, she said, in case people want to maximize their tax deductions.
Filing taxes on time opens the door to many government benefits and tax credits that people could be eligible for, including the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which Plaha said is part of a shift to affordability this year.
The tax rate for the lower tax bracket has also dropped from 15 to 14 per cent.
“The beauty of all this is all you need to do is file your taxes on time and get benefits,” said Plaha.
The Canada Child Benefit is also attached to income tax returns, so the sooner someone files, the less delay there would be to get these attached benefits, she said.
For those who file by paper, there are changes to the packages available on the CRA website or by phone, she said, but she encourages people to file online, because Plaha said it is a much faster, secure and convenient way to submit taxes.
Ninety-five per cent of people in Saskatchewan now file online, she said, which she views as a “very encouraging” sign. The national average was 93 per cent in 2025.
“It gets your refund to you within two weeks, and it’s very easy to file using any tax software,” she said.
People should also be aware of scams as tax season approaches, Plaha said. They might get a message from an unknown number saying they have a refund or taxes owing that they have to pay immediately.
