Before you register

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Ways you can help

Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) volunteers play an essential role in helping eligible individuals with a modest income and a simple tax situation receive the benefit and credit payments they are entitled to.

As a CVITP volunteer, you can choose to:

Quebec residents

If you are a resident of the province of Quebec and interested in helping individuals file their taxes for free, please visit the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program.

Receive free training

Although it’s helpful, you don’t need experience doing tax returns to be a volunteer.  All CVITP volunteers have access to free training that includes web-based training on how to prepare taxes, use tax software, and understand their responsibilities. Online training can be supplemented with in-person or virtual sessions.

Types of tax clinics

Participating organizations can choose to host tax clinics in person, virtually, or both. CVITP volunteers can help taxpayers complete their tax returns through:

In-person clinics
Meeting with taxpayers face-to-face
Virtual clinics
Preparing tax returns remotely via videoconference, phone, or through a drop-off process

Register on time

  • The program runs year-round but clinics are busiest during tax season (late February to early May).
  • To avoid delays, register starting in late October to be ready for tax season.

Your Volunteer Identification Number (VIN)

All volunteers will be assigned a Volunteer Identification Number (VIN) once they are approved to participate in the program. A VIN is a unique and permanent, eight-digit identification number. It will remain the same for a volunteer year after year, even if there has been a break in program participation. Any volunteer approved to participate in the CVITP will be assigned a VIN and retain it for the duration of their participation in the program.

This is a feature that was implemented in mid-May 2024. Should you be approved to participate in the CVITP, you will receive an email informing you of your approval and your VIN will be included in the email. Returning volunteers will be required to enter their VIN when registering for the program.

 

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2025-10-15