Tax Season Is Here

New for 2023

• The personal income levels used to calculate your Ontario tax have changed.
• The amounts for most provincial non-refundable tax credits have changed.
• The Ontario seniors’ home safety tax credit is no longer available for 2023 and later tax years.
• The Ontario jobs training tax credit is no longer available for 2023 and later tax years.
• The Ontario staycation tax credit is no longer available for 2023 and later tax years.

(CRA link to below information: Personal income tax: What’s new for 2023 – Canada.ca)

INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

Advanced Canada workers benefit (ACWB)

Advance payments of the Canada workers benefit (CWB) are now issued automatically under the ACWB to those who received the benefit in the previous tax year. 

As a result, Form RC201, Canada Workers Benefit Advance Payments Application, has been discontinued.

Starting in 2023, amounts from your RC210 slip are to be reported on Schedule 6, Canada Workers Benefit, in order to calculate the amount to enter on line 41500 of your return. 

If you have an eligible spouse, you can choose who will claim the basic amount for the CWB regardless of who received the RC210 slip for the basic amount. 

For more information about the ACWB, go to Canada workers benefit.

Climate action incentive payment (CAIP)

The Government of Canada has announced its intention to double the rural supplement to 20% starting in April 2024. 

It also intends to continue using the census metropolitan areas determined by the 2016 Census for the 2023 and 2024 tax years. 

For more information about the CAIP, go to Climate action incentive payment.

Deduction for tools (tradespersons and apprentice mechanics)

Starting in 2023, the maximum employment deduction for tradespersons’ eligible tools has increased from $500 to $1,000. 

As a result, the threshold for expenses eligible for the apprentice mechanics tools deduction has also changed. 

For more information about tools deductions for tradespersons and apprentice mechanics, see line 22900 or Guide T4044, Employment Expenses.

Federal, provincial and territorial COVID-19 benefit repayments

Federal, provincial and territorial COVID-19 benefit repayments made after December 31, 2022 can be claimed as a deduction on line 23200 of your 2023 return.

First home savings account (FHSA)

The FHSA is a new registered plan to help individuals save for their first home. Starting April 1, 2023, 

contributions to an FHSA are generally deductible and qualifying withdrawals made from an FHSA to purchase a qualifying home are tax free. 

If you opened one or more FHSAs in 2023, complete Schedule 15, FHSA Contributions, Transfers and Activities. 

For more information about the FHSA, go to First Home Savings Account.

Multigenerational home renovation tax credit (MHRTC)

The MHRTC is a new refundable tax credit that allows an eligible individual to claim certain renovation costs to create a secondary unit within an eligible dwelling

so that a qualifying individual can reside with their qualifying relation.  If eligible, you can claim up to $50,000 in qualifying expenditures for each qualifying renovation completed, up to a maximum credit of $7,500 for each claim you are eligible to make. 

For more information and to make a claim, see Schedule 12, Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit. 

Property flipping

Starting January 1, 2023, any gain from the disposition of a housing unit (including a rental property) located in Canada, or a right to acquire a housing unit located in Canada, 

that you owned or held for less than 365 consecutive days before its disposition is deemed to be business income and not a capital gain, 

unless the property was already considered inventory or the disposition occurred due to, or in anticipation of certain life events. 

For more information about flipped property and life-event exceptions, go to Residential Property Flipping Rule or see Schedule 3, Capital Gains (or Losses).

The CRA’s services: Electronic remittances or payments above $10,000 

As of January 1, 2024, remittances or payments to the Receiver General of Canada should be made as an electronic payment if the amount is more than $10,000. 

Payers may face a penalty unless they cannot reasonably remit or pay the amount electronically. For more information, go to Payments to the CRA.