Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Revenue Canada is the old name of the Canada Revenue Agency, the CRA. If you’re looking for the Revenue Canada agency in 2026, the CRA is who you want: it collects federal tax and runs benefits like the GST/HST credit through the tax system. Same building, more or less, and a different name on the letters.
Is Revenue Canada the same as the CRA?
Yes, in practice. Parliament passed the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency Act in 1999, which set up the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. On December 12, 2005 a change came into effect that renamed it the Canada Revenue Agency. Customs work now sits with a different body, the Canada Border Services Agency.
People still say Revenue Canada out of habit, and search for it, and there’s no harm in that. Just don’t put the old name on a payment or a form. Use the CRA name and your own account number or social insurance number where the form asks.
What does the Revenue Canada agency actually do?
The CRA says it administers tax laws for the Government of Canada and for most provinces and territories. It also runs social and economic benefit programs through the tax system. Two acts carry a lot of the weight, the Income Tax Act and the Excise Tax Act, and the Minister of National Revenue answers to Parliament for the agency.
| Area | What it covers | Where to try the numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Personal income tax | Your T1 return and refund | Tax refund calculator |
| Business payroll | Source deductions you remit | Payroll remittance calculator |
| GST/HST | Sales tax under the Excise Tax Act | GST/HST calculator |
| Benefits | Programs paid through the tax system | Canada child benefit calculator |
The CRA’s page says “most” provinces and territories, not all. So check who collects your provincial tax before assuming the CRA does.
How do you deal with the CRA online?
Through My Account. You sign in with a sign-in partner, a CRA user ID, or a provincial partner account in BC or Alberta, or you register if you have none of those. From there you can see your notice of assessment, check a refund or benefit payment, change your address and banking details, and pay.
Don’t use autofill for the banking side on a shared computer. The CRA says so itself, and it’s sensible advice. If you’re locked out, going through registration again creates new credentials without a phone call.
What if you do have to phone or write?
Some things still need a person: a payment arrangement, a letter you don’t understand, a mistake on your notice. The agency lists its phone lines by topic on its contact page, with separate numbers for individuals, businesses, and benefits and credits. Pick the right line and keep your SIN, last notice and the letter beside you. Our page on dealing with the CRA covers letters, audits and payments in more detail.
How can you get a rough number before you file?
Start with the income tax calculator. Type in your income and province and it shows federal and provincial tax, then CPP and EI as well. It won’t replace your return, but it tells you whether a refund or a bill is likely, which is handy information at tax time when the taxman’s letter hasn’t arrived yet.
Self-employed people pay in advance instead of through payroll, and the tax installments calculator gives a starting point for those payments. We haven’t listed installment due dates here because the 2026 schedule wasn’t something we confirmed for this page. Check the CRA’s own dates.
What should you keep from your dealings with the CRA?
Keep everything. Save the notice of assessment, any letter, and a short note of each phone call: the date, who you spoke to and what they said. Picture Jamal in Halifax, who got a reassessment in the spring and could point to the exact notice when the numbers looked off in the fall. That small habit saves hours, and it costs you nothing but a folder on your computer.
Mistakes people make with the agency
Trusting a message that says it’s from Revenue Canada. That name isn’t in use, and it’s a fair reason to slow down. Go to the CRA site yourself instead of clicking a link in a text or email, and sign in there.
Another one is calling to ask what a number means when your notice of assessment already explains it. Read the notice first. It lists your income, deductions and any room you have left.
And there’s the question of who’s answering. This site isn’t the CRA and has no link with it or any government body. We explain the rules in plain words and give you calculators. The agency’s own pages are what count for a decision about your return.
The sources behind this page
The history and role of the agency come from the Canada Revenue Agency‘s own pages on its structure and mandate, and the My Account details from its sign-in help. Read them for the current position, since names, services and contact options do change.
Frequently asked questions
Is Revenue Canada still a thing?
Not under that name. It became the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and, from December 12, 2005, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
What does the CRA do?
It administers tax laws for the federal government and for most provinces and territories. It also delivers benefit and incentive programs through the tax system.
How do I sign in to my CRA account?
Use a sign-in partner, a CRA user ID and password, or a BC or Alberta provincial account. If you have none, register for new credentials.
Does the CRA collect tax for every province?
The CRA says most provinces and territories, so not all. Check who collects your provincial tax.
Is this site linked to the CRA?
No. We have no link with the CRA or any government body and only explain the rules.
- How Canadian income tax works: brackets and credits
How federal and provincial Canadian income tax stack up, what marginal and average rates mean, and how credits and deductions change your bill