The CRA has extended the deadline for tax returns filed in Alberta with due dates during the flooding to August 2, 2013, as disclosed on the CRA website:
Ottawa, Ontario, June 26, 2013 - The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue and the Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, with the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and Member of Parliament for Calgary Southeast, confirmed today that taxpayers affected by flooding in Alberta will have until August 2, 2013, to file their returns.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will proactively adjust the due date for all federal business and other returns filed in Alberta that were due during the flooding. A federal business return filed by August 2, 2013, will be considered as filed on time.
The CRA has also advised that the taxpayer relief provisions, which are designed to provide relief for filing and payment obligations where taxpayers are impacted by circumstances beyond their control, are also available for taxpayers affected by the flooding. Such applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The adjustment to the due date should also extend the payment date for the balance of tax owing. The CRA release does not specify any relief for other payment dates, such as monthly tax instalments; however specific relief under the taxpayer relief program should be available. We encourage clients to continue to make those payments, where possible. Please contact us to discuss other ways to mitigate the impact of a late instalment payment.
At the time of writing, the Government of Alberta had not yet confirmed a similar policy for an automatic extension to filing dates for Alberta corporate income tax returns, although we suspect that may be forthcoming to be consistent with the federal policy. Alberta has already confirmed that taxpayers should be able to avail themselves of relief provisions for waivers of interest and late-filing penalties, similar to the federal taxpayer relief program described above. The Alberta website presently states:
Penalties and interest will be waived where a corporation or business was unable to comply with legislated tax filing or payment requirements due to flooding.
Please contact your Collins Barrow advisor if you have any questions.
Related content
