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People still say Revenue Canada, but the agency is now the Canada Revenue Agency, and a Revenue Canada tax return is just your T1 income tax and benefit return. For the 2025 tax year it was due on 30 April 2026, or 15 June 2026 if you or your spouse ran a business. Any balance owing was due on 30 April regardless.
How do you file a Revenue Canada tax return?
The CRA lists five routes. You can use certified software and send it with NETFILE, use the CRA’s free SimpleFile service if you qualify, mail a paper return, hire a preparer who files electronically, or visit a free volunteer clinic.
Software is what most people pick. You type in your slips, the program does the maths and the return goes through in minutes. NETFILE was open from 23 February 2026 until 29 January 2027 for the 2025 return.
What should you have on the table before you start?
Gather slips first. A return with a missing slip is a return you’ll have to fix.
- T4 from each employer, and any T4A, T5 or other information slips
- RRSP contribution receipts and donation receipts
- Childcare, tuition and medical receipts you plan to claim
- Last year’s notice of assessment, which shows your RRSP room
If you use CRA My Account, look there for slips too, and compare them with your paper copies.
What does a typical return look like?
Take an Ontario employee earning $60,000. The income tax calculator shows $8,320.50 of federal and Ontario income tax, 13.9% of income, plus $4,339.75 for CPP and EI. That leaves $47,339.75.
Now add a $5,000 RRSP deduction. Tax falls to $7,103.72, a saving of $1,216.78. That’s about 24% of the contribution, and it is the reason people file with receipts in hand.
| Ontario, $60,000 employment income | No deduction | $5,000 RRSP deduction |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable income | $59,435 | $54,435 |
| Federal tax | $5,338.30 | $4,579.02 |
| Ontario tax | $2,982.20 | $2,524.70 |
| Total income tax | $8,320.50 | $7,103.72 |
Whether that turns into a refund depends on what your employer already withheld. Put your T4 amounts into the tax refund calculator to see the gap. If you’re weighing the RRSP itself, the RRSP calculator shows what the money could grow to.
Where do people trip up?
First, payment. Self-employed people get the later filing date of 15 June, but any balance was still due on 30 April.
Second, benefits. The CRA says you have to file every year to receive or keep benefit and credit payments. A skipped return can quietly stop cheques.
Third, our own numbers. The calculator uses the basic credits, CPP or QPP and EI, and the dividend credit. Tuition, medical claims and other credits aren’t in there, so your real return can differ. If your year was simple, it’ll be close.
One more item. We couldn’t find 2026 return dates on a CRA page yet, so the dates above are for the 2025 return. The CRA has also said it plans to invite some people to use pre-filled returns from March 2027. That doesn’t change anything for this season.
Which rate applies to your next dollar?
That’s what decides whether extra deductions are worth chasing. The marginal tax rate calculator gives it for your province. Ontario rates can jump in narrow bands near $72,000 and $200,000 because the Ontario Health Premium rises there, so the tool may show an odd-looking number.
Where do these numbers come from?
Dates and filing methods come from CRA pages on filing your taxes and the 2025 due dates, checked on 30 September 2026. Amounts come from our calculators, which use 2026 federal and Ontario rates. This website has no connection with the CRA or any other government body.
Frequently asked questions
Is Revenue Canada the same as the CRA?
Yes. People still use the old name, but the agency you file with today is the Canada Revenue Agency.
When was the 2025 tax return due?
30 April 2026 for most people, and 15 June 2026 if you or your spouse ran a business. Any tax owing was still due on 30 April.
Can I file my tax return online?
Yes. Use CRA-certified software with NETFILE, which was open from 23 February 2026 to 29 January 2027 for the 2025 return.
Do I have to file if I owe nothing?
The CRA says you need to file every year to get or keep benefit and credit payments.
What if I can't afford software or a preparer?
Try the CRA's SimpleFile service or a free volunteer clinic if you qualify, or file on paper.
- How to file your tax return in Canada: steps and dates
What to gather, when your return is due and how to file in Canada, from the first slip to the notice of assessment that closes the year
Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.