Ottawa Extends Deadline for Claiming Charitable Donations on Tax Returns

The federal government is extending the deadline for making charitable donations eligible for tax claims to the end of February, the Department of Finance announced Monday in a press release.

“The federal government intends to amend the Income Tax Act to extend the deadline for making donations eligible for tax support in the 2024 tax year until February 28, 2025,” the statement read.

This extension aims to “mitigate the impacts of the four-week Canada Post mail stoppage by providing donors with sufficient time to ensure their contributions are received and processed,” the department explained. The move is intended to help charities continue delivering vital services to communities that rely on them.

The government plans to introduce the necessary legislation early in the new year.

“This extension recognizes the impact that the Canada Post service disruption had on charities’ fundraising campaigns and gives them additional time to receive and process donations so they can continue their vital work,” Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said.

The announcement follows a request from Canada’s premiers, who urged the federal government to extend the deadline.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, made the request in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week. Ford noted that charities faced significant challenges due to the Canada Post strike, which halted letter mail for a month starting in mid-November.

Charities like the Salvation Army have reported sharp declines in mail-in donations this holiday season, with the organization citing a 50% drop in contributions due to the postal service disruption.

The extension is expected to alleviate some of these pressures, giving charities and donors additional time to recover from the strike’s effects.