Expert Tax Accountants in Ottawa

An Ontario resident pays federal tax of 14% to 33% for 2026 plus a separate Ontario calculation on the same taxable income, so your combined marginal rate is the federal rate for your band added to the Ontario rate for its band. Ontario also layers surtaxes onto the provincial portion at higher incomes and collects the Ontario Health Premium through the return. Take the current Ontario bracket, surtax and premium figures from the CRA's Ontario tax page.

13%. Toronto levies no sales tax of its own, so a purchase in the city carries Ontario's 13% HST for 2026, made up of the 5% federal GST and 8% provincial share, with no municipal add-on. The city does charge a municipal land transfer tax on real estate, on top of the provincial one, and an accommodation levy on hotel and short-term stays, but neither touches everyday shopping. Zero-rated and exempt supplies can leave a receipt showing less.

The Ontario Trillium Benefit is issued monthly on a schedule the CRA publishes in advance, unless your yearly entitlement is small enough that it is paid as a single amount instead. The Canada child benefit and the GST/HST credit run on their own dates. Check the CRA benefit payment dates page or My Account for the next deposit. Payments can pause if your return for the prior year has not been filed and assessed, so file on time.

A deposit labelled Canada Pro in Ontario is normally the Ontario Trillium Benefit, which bundles the Ontario energy and property tax credit, the Northern Ontario energy credit and the Ontario sales tax credit. One labelled Canada FED is a federal payment such as the GST/HST credit or the Canada workers benefit. Both are calculated from your filed T1, so file every year even with no income. Sign in to CRA My Account to see exactly what was paid and why.

Unpaid municipal property taxes attach to the property itself, not to the former owner, so the municipality can pursue whoever holds title and ultimately sell for arrears. That is why a tax certificate is ordered before closing and any arrears are settled through the statement of adjustments. Income tax the seller owes personally does not transfer, though buying from a non-resident brings withholding duties for the buyer. Raise both points with your real estate lawyer.

Ontario applies 13% HST to mobile service, so a $60 plan bills at $67.80. The tax covers the monthly fee, overage, roaming within Canada, device instalment charges and most add-ons, and a handset bought outright carries 13% as well. Regulatory and service fees on the invoice are generally taxed the same way. A business registered for GST/HST can claim input tax credits on the share of the bill used for commercial activity, so keep the itemised invoice.

Multiply the pre-tax price by the rate for the province where the customer receives the goods or service, then add that to the price. Ontario is 13%; New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island are 15%; Nova Scotia is 14% from 1 April 2025. So a $100 Ontario sale is billed at $113. Show the tax separately with your registration number so a registered customer can claim it back.

Tolls for the use of a road or bridge are not charged GST/HST, so the toll portion of a 407 statement carries no tax. Other charges on the same statement can be taxable, including transponder rental, account and administration fees, and the statement itemises any tax that was applied. A business claiming an input tax credit can only claim tax actually shown on the invoice, so read the statement rather than estimating.

Property tax is an annual charge a municipality levies on real estate to fund local services such as roads, water, policing, fire and schools. A provincial assessment authority values the property, council sets a tax rate in its budget, and the bill is the assessed value multiplied by the rate for your property class. Unpaid amounts stay attached to the property itself. It is separate from income tax, so the city bills it, not the CRA.

If you owe nothing, there is no late-filing penalty, but benefits and credits can be delayed. If you owe, the penalty is 5% of the unpaid balance plus 1% for each full month the return is late, to a maximum of 12 months. Interest also runs on the balance from the day after it was due. Repeat late filers who receive a formal demand face a higher penalty. File as soon as you can, even if you cannot pay.

Only if you are authorised first. The CRA will not discuss an account with anyone who is not on file as a representative, even a spouse or adult child. The taxpayer can add you online through My Account, or you can submit an AUT-01 with their signature. For someone who cannot sign, the CRA needs legal documents such as a power of attorney or estate paperwork. Authorisation can be limited to view-only access.

Start with the notice itself and match each line to your slips, to confirm the error is the CRA's and not a slip you missed. Straightforward corrections can be handled by phone or through change my return in My Account. If you disagree with the assessment itself, file a notice of objection by the deadline printed on the notice. Service problems, such as wrong information or long delays, go to the CRA's service feedback process instead.