Kristen Tomcko says there are many reasons some people don’t file their income taxes.
“It can be expensive, and when you’re living on a low income, every dollar matters,” said Tomcko, director of operations and client services with the Lakehead Social Planning Council in Thunder Bay, Ont. She added that some people also face literacy or technology barriers, which can make taxes feel complicated.
The council has run a community volunteer income tax program since the early 2000s that helps low-income residents file their taxes for free. A 2020 study in the Canadian Public Policy journal found about 10 to 12 per cent of Canadians do not file a tax return.
Tomcko said filing taxes can be intimidating, but it allows people to receive benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, the Ontario Trillium Benefit and the GST/HST Credit. People who don’t file may also miss out on some social services.
Although the program runs all year, demand is highest before the April 30 deadline. Residents can file in person at the office on Syndicate Avenue, call 211 to file by phone, or drop off their paperwork and pick it up later.
Tomcko said more than 5,000 tax returns were filed through the program last year, and the council is always looking for volunteers. She added the program also helps the organization gather information to support research and advocate for solutions to poverty in the community.
