The ePayroll project

The ePayroll project is a Government of Canada initiative to modernize how employers send payroll, employment, and demographic information to government departments and agencies.

Currently, employers send payroll information to the government at a particular time, such as when they issue a T4 slip, or a Record of Employment for employment insurance. Employers often provide the same information to multiple government departments and agencies. 

The goal of ePayroll is to reduce the administrative burden for Canadian employers and streamline the delivery of government benefits and services.

About ePayroll in Canada

Our vision for ePayroll in Canada is a service through which Canadian employers can securely send payroll, employment and demographic information to a protected Government of Canada repository. Government departments and agencies could then access the information when they need it for programs and services without having to go back to employers to ask for the information repeatedly. 

Some expected benefits of an ePayroll approach include:

• reducing the administrative burden on Canadian employers and businesses
• improving speed and accuracy in delivering government services and benefits, such as employment insurance benefits and future wage subsidies, to Canadians through access to more accurate and up-to-date employment data

ePayroll is not a payroll processing system run by the government. Canadian employers will still be free to choose the payroll processing system that suits them.

About the ePayroll project

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is leading this project for the Government of Canada in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. 

The ePayroll project is part of the government’s commitment in Budget 2021 to propose a real-time ePayroll solution to better enable service to Canadian Business.

From 2021 to 2024, the ePayroll Project Team will consult with other government departments, businesses and employers of all sizes, employees, stakeholder groups and associations, and payroll software and service providers. Stakeholders will help identify challenges and opportunities, and provide input on what features they would like to see in an ePayroll solution.

Share your thoughts: public consultation on an ePayroll solution

You are invited to take part in consultations on ePayroll. The consultation period starts on December 6, 2022 and ends on January 27, 2023.

We are seeking your ideas and input on challenges you currently face with payroll reporting and on opportunities to improve your experience. 

The Government of Canada values diversity and inclusion. Our public consultation is focused on leveraging diverse Canadian views including:

• Employers of all sizes 
• Indigenous peoples and businesses
• Industry associations and labour unions
• Payroll software providers and vendors
• Academics and professional experts
• Employees who work and reside in Canada, and
• Other interested parties

How to participate

You can provide comments, and/or volunteer to take part in a consultation session, by sending us an email.

Contact us

email: ePayrollCWG-PaieelectroniqueGTC@cra-arc.gc.ca

Related information

Budget 2021 (see hyperlink section 10.3)