How outreach officers can help your community learn about tax and benefits

Benefit and credit payments can make a big difference to those in your community. The CRA’s outreach officers can help them learn about these payments and what they can get by doing their taxes.

Who we support

We can help if your organization provide services to:

adults 65 years and older
housing-insecure individuals
Indigenous Peoples
modest-income individuals
newcomers
persons with disabilities
students

Some of the organizations we help include not-for-profits, shelters, retirement homes, friendship centres, immigration associations, and schools.

If you have questions about or need information for your personal taxes, please refer to Personal income tax or call 1-800-959-8281 where an agent will be able to assist you. Outreach officers do not have access to personal tax information and cannot answer individual tax-related questions.

What CRA outreach officers can do

Services CRA outreach officers can provide:

lead an information session for your employees or community
host a booth at an event
make a presentation at a conference
provide handouts for your community
offer information on how to get benefit and credit payments
give training workshops

Information CRA outreach officers can share:

benefits and credits available, such as the:
- Canada child benefit
- GST/HST credit
- Canada workers benefit
- Disability tax credit
- Child disability benefit
- Canada caregiver credit
who can apply for benefits and credits
how to apply for benefits and credits
Canada's tax system
tax information for specific communities
online services
scams and frauds

Get help from an outreach officer

Complete the request form and someone from one of our regional offices will contact you to discuss how the CRA can help your organization support your community’s needs.

Currently, the CRA’s outreach officers are offering presentations by videoconference or phone.

Help people with their taxes

The individuals that your organization serves must do their taxes every year to help ensure they receive and continue to receive their entitled benefits and credits. You can help by hosting a free tax clinic.

Host a free tax clinic

A free tax clinic is a place where eligible people can get their tax returns done by volunteers for free. To be eligible, a person must have a modest income and a simple tax situation. These tax clinics are hosted by community organizations across Canada through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) and the Income tax assistance – Volunteer Program (ITAVP) in Quebec.

For the 2022 tax season, community organizations are hosting free tax clinics. If your organization chooses to host clinics, your volunteers can complete and file taxes for free by videoconference, by phone, in-person (following local public health advice and measures) or by using a drop off and pick up option.

Funding may be available for eligible organizations that host free tax clinics. To find out more, see Grant for hosting free tax clinics.

Learn more about hosting a free tax clinic or register as a host organization.

Become a volunteer at a free tax clinic

You can also help by volunteering. A CVITP or ITAVP volunteer can help with organizing free tax clinics, or complete tax returns for eligible individuals.

Community organizations are hosting free tax clinics. As a volunteer, you can choose to file and complete taxes by video conference, by phone, in person (following local public health advice and measures), or by using a drop off and pick up option.

For more information and to register as a volunteer, go to Volunteer at a free tax clinic.