Board, lodging, and transportation at remote work locations

The CRA usually considers a work location to be remote when it is 80 kilometres or more from the nearest established community with a population of at least 1,000 people.

A location is considered an established community if it has essential services or those services are available within a reasonable commuting distance. Essential services may include access to:

Board and lodging at a remote work location

You can exclude from income the value of board and lodging, or an allowance (not in excess of a reasonable amount) for board and lodging that you provide to an employee who works at a remote work location, if all of the following conditions are met:

Transportation

You can exclude from income the value of free or subsidized transportation, or an allowance (not in excess of a reasonable amount) for transportation expenses, that you provide to an employee who works at a remote work location if all of the following conditions are met:

If you need help determining whether a location qualifies as remote, see Archived Interpretation Bulletin IT-91R4, Employment at Special Work Sites or Remote Work Locations.

Form TD4, Declaration of Exemption – Employment at a Special Work Site

When there is an exemption for board, lodging, or transportation allowances you pay to employees who work at a remote work location, do not fill out Form TD4.

Payroll deductions

If you exclude a benefit for board, lodging, and transportation at a special work site or remote work location, it is not a taxable benefit. Do not deduct CPP contributions, EI premiums, or income tax.

Forms and publications

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