What is the Canada Revenue Agency?

Essentially, the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), previously known as the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), CRA is a federal agency that administers tax laws for the Canadian government and for the majority of the country’s provinces and territories. The scope of its legal activities includes international trade legislation, as well as various incentive and social and economic benefit programs which are delivered through the country’s taxation system. The Canadian Revenues Agency also oversees the registration and functioning of charity organizations in Canada and is responsible for tax crediting programs such as the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit Program.

Furthermore, the Canadian Revenue Agency administers most individual and corporate income taxes in Canada and almost all personal and trust tax returns, the only exception being the Quebec provincial individual income tax. In addition, the agency is responsible for the administration of all corporate income taxes in Canada, except for Quebec and Alberta provincial corporate income taxes. The Canadian Revenue Agency also administers the Goods and Services Tax which is, in essence, the Canadian federal value added tax.

The management of CRA has set it as their mission to ensure compliance on behalf of the governments across Canada and constantly contribute to the economic and social well-being of all Canadian citizens by providing them with premium-class tax and benefit administration which is highly effective and unreservedly trusted.

Notably, the Canada Revenue Agency has a user-friendly website which provides a broad range of integrated services to business and individual taxpayers in Canada. The online services for individuals include general income tax and benefit package, online tax payment service (available only for the clients of Bank of Montreal (personal accounts only), Scotiabank, Royal Bank of Canada and TD Canada Trust ). The NETFILE transmission service of Canadian Revenue Agency is open from February 15, until September 30, enabling all Canadian residents to electronically file their personal income tax and benefit return.

The online services of CRA for business taxpayers include payroll services employers, trustees, or payers who are responsible for the deduction of contributions under the Canada Pension Plan, income tax from remuneration, and employment insurance premiums, among others. In addition, business owners can access their Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax declarations, payroll, corporation income taxes, excise taxes and duties, along with many other levies accounts online.

In addition to these options, the Canadian Revenue Agency has developed a set of highly convenient preferential taxation services and savings plans for people with disabilities.

As of recently, CRA has announced that fraudulent emails are being sent on behalf of the agency. Persons should discard messages informing that they are eligible for receiving tax refunds, asking to fill in the individual tax return form. In these cases, the sender aims to obtain personal information such as one’s passport number, credit card, and social insurance. Taxpayers should know that the Agency does not request information by email and will not leave such on their answering machine.


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