Meal and vehicle rates used to caclulate travel expenses for 2019

Meal expenses

The detailed method – If you choose to use the detailed method to calculate your meal expenses, you have to keep a log or record book itemizing each expense. You also have to keep receipts to support the amount you deduct.

The simplified method – This is the easiest way to calculate your meal expenses since you do not have to keep receipts for your meals, although you do have to keep a detailed list of the trips you take in a record or log book.

The simplified method is based on a meal rate of $17 (includes sales tax) for each meal. Multiply the actual number of meals you ate by $17 (to a maximum of three meals per day) and report that amount in the “Meals bought” column of Part 2 – Trip and expense summary on Form TL2, Claim for Meals and Lodging Expenses. 

Vehicle expenses

If you choose the detailed method to calculate vehicle expenses, you must keep all receipts and records for the vehicle expenses you incurred for moving expenses or for northern residents deductions during the tax year; or during the 12-month period you choose for medical expenses.

Vehicle expenses include:

• operating expenses such as fuel, oil, tires, licence fees, insurance, maintenance, and repairs
• ownership expenses such as depreciation, provincial tax, and finance charges

Keep track of the number of kilometres you drove in that time period, as well as the number of kilometres you drove specifically for the purpose of moving or medical expenses, or for the northern residents deductions. Your claim for vehicle expenses is the percentage of your total vehicle expenses that relate to the kilometres driven for moving or medical expenses, or for northern residents deductions.

For example, if you drove 10,000 km during the year, and half of that was related to your move, you can claim half of the total vehicle expenses on your tax return.

Although you do not need to keep detailed receipts for actual expenses if you choose to use the simplified method, we may still ask you to provide some documentation to support your claim. Keep track of the number of kilometres driven during the tax year for your trips relating to moving expenses and northern residents deductions, or the 12-month period you choose for medical expenses. To determine the amount you can claim for vehicle expenses, multiply the number of kilometres by the cents/km rate from the chart below for the province or territory in which the travel begins.

For more information, contact us.