Survey reveals 44 per cent of Canadians have not filed their taxes

TORONTO, April 11, 2019 /CNW/ - The deadline for Canadians to file their personal income tax return is just around the corner, but many Canadians may find themselves scrambling to file on time. A recent survey revealed that 44 per cent of Canadians have yet to file their taxes – the same proportion of people who had not filed last year at this time.¹ 

"While you won't get a reward for filing well in advance of the deadline, you may face penalties if you miss it," says Lisa Gittens, H&R Block Senior Tax Expert. "You should file as soon as you can. If you delay filing until the last minute, you are more likely to make mistakes."

The survey found that Quebec is in the lead when it comes to filing (65% have filed) whereas British Columbia had the largest number of people yet to file (51%).

The complete breakdown, by province, on how many Canadians have yet to file according to this survey:

• British Columbia: 51%
• Alberta: 43%
• Saskatchewan: 46%
• Manitoba: 48%
• Ontario: 48%
• Quebec: 35%
• Atlantics: 38%

Interestingly, in a survey conducted last year, 83 per cent of Canadians indicated they filed their taxes at least a month out from the deadline – a stark discrepancy between Canadian's beliefs and reality.²

Whether Canadians are waiting for financial records to come in or have just been putting off filing, they need to ensure their taxes are filed in advance of the April 30^th deadline to avoid late fees and penalties.

About H&R Block Canada
For over 50 years, H&R Block Canada is Canada's tax leader, with over 1,100 locations across Canada, and do-it-yourself Tax Software. H&R Block's comprehensive education program, Tax Academy, trains experts and continually updates their skills. Learn more at www.hrblock.ca or 1-800-HRBLOCK.

About the Survey

¹From April 1^st to April 2^nd, 2019 an online survey of 1,516 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada panelists was executed by Maru/Blue. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been weighted by education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

²From December 27^th to December 28^th, 2017 an online survey of 1,522 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada panelists was executed by Maru/Blue. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been weighted by education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

SOURCE H&R Block Canada Inc.

Amanda Federchuk, Ketchum, 416-355-7410, [email protected]