NICKEL BELT – GREATER SUDBURY – Today Marc G. Serré, MP for Nickel Belt, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Parliamentary Secretary the to the Minister of Official Languages on behalf of the Honourable Minister of National Revenue, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced that the Markstay-Warren Public Library has been awarded $835 through the Community Volunteer Income Program.

The Government of Canada is investing an additional $5.9M in grant funding for community organizations that host free tax clinics. The funds will be used to extend a three-year grant pilot project for a fourth year. During the first three years of the pilot, the Government of Canada awarded 3,667 grants to organizations totalling more than $8.7M in funding.

Volunteers at free tax clinics complete tax returns for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation, so they can access important benefits and credits that help make life more affordable. This is money that many people rely on to cover rent, pay for childcare or buy food for their families. The clinics are hosted by non-profits, charities or community groups in collaboration with the CRA through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP).

The grant awards funding to eligible organizations to help them offset the cost of hosting free tax clinics. Organizations that serve Indigenous communities or that operate in northern, rural or remote communities are also entitled to an additional subsidy to support their specific needs.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is looking for more community partners to lend a helping hand in their communities by hosting free tax clinics, so that everyone can get the benefit and credit payments they are entitled to. Sign up to host a free tax clinic at canada.ca/taxes-volunteer.

Quotes

“Community organizations that run free tax clinics play a vital role in helping Nickel Belt – Greater Sudbury residents get benefits and credits to which they are entitled to. For example, by filing your taxes you automatically receive the Climate Action Incentive benefit. I encourage more community partners to make use of this new funding and lend a helping hand by starting a free tax clinic in our community!” – Marc G. Serré, MP for Nickel Belt, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages

“The library has been running the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program since 2021 with our library volunteer who has many years of experience filing taxes.  The Markstay-Warren Public Library follows their mission to provide free and open access to services to meet the changing needs of our community.  We choose the CVITP Program as part of our vision, to be a vital, resilient and welcoming centre of community for all through responsive services and programs such as this one.  It is key to support our residents to meet their tax obligations and receive the benefit and credit payments they are entitled to.  The financial strains are evident in our community and being able to offer this removes barriers that individuals would otherwise need to travel outside of their community and pay out of pocket.  We are proud to offer this to our residents within all of Markstay-Warren to help face both the financial and demographic challenges.” – Pamela Kelly, CEO Markstay-Warren Public Library 

Quick Facts

• Since January 1, 2023 more than 3,400 community organizations and 15,700 volunteers have helped more than 730,000 people complete their income tax and benefit returns through free tax clinics.
• The CRA accepts applications for grant funding from May 1 to June 30 each year. Organizations are invited to apply annually.
• The CRA works closely with Revenu Québec, which provides a separate grant for Quebec organizations to offset the cost of completing provincial income tax returns.

Associated Links

Host a free tax clinic
Grant for hosting free tax clinics
How we calculate funding

Media Contact:

Kaylie Dudgeon
Special Assistant
Marc G. Serré
MP Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages
705-507-2416
[email protected]